GIFT  OF 
SEELEY  W.  MUDD 

and 

GEORGE  I.  COCHRAN     MEYER  ELSASSER 
DR.  JOHN  R.  HAYNES    WILLIAM  L.  HONNOLD 
JAMES  R.  MARTIN         MRS.  JOSEPH  F.  SARTORI 

to  the 

UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA 
SOUTHERN  BRANCH 


JOHN  FISKE 


.<|*t    * 


,~~ 

TJNIVE 


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OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA 


ALBION  W.  TOURGEE 


Illustrations  by  AIMEE   TOURGEE 


NEW  YORK 

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74    FIFTH    AVENUE 


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COPYRIGHT,  1893, 
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034- 


T  was  the  morning  of  the  3d  of 
August  in  the  year  of  grace  one 
thousand  four  hundred  and 
ninety-two.  Three  ships  lay  at 
anchor  in  the  Bay  of  Palos.  The 
black  waters  of  the  Rio  Tinto 
surged  under  our  keels  with  the  out 
going  tide.  Over  the  sandy  cape  to  the  north-westward 
came  the  roar  of  breakers.  We  had  dropped  down  from  the 
port  of  Palos,  two  leagues  away,  the  evening  before,  under 
the  pretense  of  being  ready  for  the  ebb-tide  and  the  land- 
breeze.  These  were  good  reasons — to  prevent  the  crews 
from  deserting  was  a  still  better  one.  They  were  little 
ships  and  old.  The  largest,  decked  over,  with  two 
masts  and  a  high  free-board,  was  well  enough  if  she  had 
been  new,  while  the  others  were  little  caravels,  decked 
fore  and  aft,  but  open  amidship.  They  were  fairly 


6  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

stanch,  save  that  the  caulking  had  been  badly  done,  but 
most  navigators,  even  then,  would  have  counted  them  by 
far  too  light  for  such  service  as  they  were  destined  to  en 
counter  ;  though,  indeed,  no  one  knew  at  that  time  what 
the  service  was  ;  and  now  that  I  have  made  the  voyage 
in  a  craft  not  larger  than  the  smallest,  I  can  truly  say  that 
seaworthiness  depends  not  so  much  upon  the  size  of  the 
ship  as  on  the  soundness  of  her  timbers  and  the  stoutness 
of  the  hearts  by  which  she  is  manned.  Given  food  and 
water,  with  strong  arms  to  work  her  sails,  I  think  such  a 
craft  might  sail  around  the  world  as  Messer  Capitano  Magel 
lan  is  reported  lately  to  have  done,  though  I  am  not  yet 
quite  able  to  conceive  it  true.  Yet,  after  what  I  have  ap 
proved,  it  would  seem  that  I  ought  not  to  doubt  anything, 
however  wonderful  it  may  be.  And  this,  I  believe,  all  will 
agree  when  they  shall  have  read  my  story. 

I  doubt  if  ever  more  earnest  prayers  were  said  than 
when,  the  day  before,  under  guard  of  a  company  of 
soldiers  to  prevent  escape,  with  two  Familiars  of  the  Holy 
Office  to  catch  any  who  might  slip  through  the  soldiers' 
fingers,  we  went,  two  and  two,  up  the  steep  sandy  slope 
to  the  chapel  of  the  convent  of  La  Rabida,  to  hear  mass  said 
by  the  good  padre,  Juan  Perez.  As  for  myself,  I  had 
not  nearly  so  much  fear  of  the  voyage  we  were  about  to 
undertake,  as  of  the  black  figures  who  stole  noiselessly 
about  looking  into  every  man's  face  as  if  in  search  of  one 
fleeing  from  the  "  misericordia  et  justitia"  of  the  Holy 
Office.  I  was  not  much  given  to  prayers  in  those  days, 
but  there  was  not  one  who  counted  his  beads  more  rap 
idly,  or  said  his  aves  more  faithfully  than  I,  as  I  knelt  there, 
the  sweat  streaming  down  my  face  while  I  prayed  and 
wondered  whether  I  would  be  allowed  to  take  the  voyage 
the  others  were  so  dreading  to  embark  upon.  It  was  only 
when  we  were  again  on  board,  the  anchor  lifted,  and  we 
were  drifting  down  to  our  berth  in  mid-channel,  that,  as  I 
saw  the  black  gowns  of  the  Familiars  growing  more  and 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA.  7 

more  indistinct,  I  heaved  a  sigh  of  relief,  and  when  the  night 
fell,  curled  up  contentedly  under  the  bulwarks  and  slept 
through  all  the  turmoil,  only  waking  now  and  then  to  listen 
to  the  babel  of  prayers  and  curses,  and  dreaming  of  the 
bright  waves  that  tossed  outside  the  low  sandy  head  to  the 
north-westward,  stretching  away  up  the  Channel,  to  the 
Severn  River,  the  Avon,  smoky  Bristol  and  Golden  Valley 
beyond.  Never  had  the  green  fields,  bare  hills  and  sweet 
rivers  of  Gloster  seemed  so  dear  to  me  as  now  when  I 


was  going  yet  farther  away  from  them,  and  that,  perhaps, 
forever.  For,  much  as  I  believed  in  the  Admiral's  theories, 
I  somehow  could  not  believe  in  him  ;  and  if  I  had,  no  faith 
could  have  made  me  believe  that  the  rotten  ship  I  was  in 
could  make  such  a  voyage  and  return,  as,  sure  enough,  she 
did  not.  However,  knowing  the  horrors  I  had  escaped, 
I  did  not  so  much  fear  the  unknown  ones  that  lay  before. 
So  I  was  ready  to  spring  up  when  my  watch  was  called 
at  eight  bells  in  the  morning.  My  post  was  on  the  lar- 


8  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

board  quarter.  The  tide  had  begun  to  run  out,  and  the 
old  tub  strained  at  her  anchors  as  if  anxious  to  seek  the 
doom  that  awaited  her  upon  an  unknown  strand.  The 
dawn  was  just  showing  beyond  the  eastern  hills.  The  sea- 
breeze  was  fast  dying  away,  and  one  of  those  "woolly's," 
which  always  has  a  wind  behind  it  on  this  coast,  was 
stealing  down  the  black  river  and  shutting  out  the  shore. 

Everything  was  at  once  astir.  Food  was  served, 
prayers  were  read  by  the  Admiral,  who  was  as  glib  and 
ready  at  the  business  as  if  he  had  been  trained  for  the 
Church  rather  than  the  quarter-deck,  as,  indeed,  some  said 
he  was,  and  became  apostate  through  unholy  dealings 
with  the  Evil  One.  The  watches  were  conned ;  the  sails 
were  loosed ;  the  windlass  cleared  to  raise  the  anchor, 
when  out  of  the  fog,  just  opposite  my  post,  there  came 
a  hail,  which,  before  I  thought,  I  had  answered  with  a 
challenge  as  if  I  were  a  sentinel  on  post  rather  than  a 
sailor  on  duty  under  his  officer's  eye.  In  much  confusion 
I  turned  to  report  the  hail  to  the  Master,  Juan  de  la  Cosa, 
who  had  charge  of  the  watch  and  who  stood  near,  over 
looking  the  work  of  getting  under  way. 

"Well  done,  my  son,"  he  said,  with  a  smile.  "It  be 
seems  us  well  to  know  who  comes,  since  if  we  do  not 
none  can  tell  who  may  go." 

As  he  spoke,  a  boat  shot  from  under  the  veil 'of  mist 
which  the  morning  sun  lighted  into  silver,  and  in  the  stern 
sat  one  with  a  black  gown  and  hood.  My  heart  sank 
within  me  as  I  thought  of  the  Holy  Office,  and  for  an 
instant  I  saw  myself  dressed  in  a  sanbenito  in  the  open 
market-place. 

I  did  not  repeat  the  hail,  but  the  Master  took  it  up  by 
virtue  of  his  office. 

"Who  comes?" 

Then  the  man  in  black  stood  up  and  threw  back  the 
hood  which  covered  his  face  : 

"I  am  the  friar  Juan  Perez,  Superior  of  the  Convent  of 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA.  g 

La  Rabida,  and  I  seek  the  Lord  High  Admiral  of  the  Ocean 
Seas,  Cristofero  Colon,  with  a  letter  from  our  Sovereign 
Lady  of  Castile,  by  the  grace  of  God,  Isabella,  Queen  also 
of  Aragon  and  Leon." 

As  he  spoke  he  held  the  missive  above  his  head  that  all 
might  see  its  glistening  seals  and  fluttering  ribbons. 

As  soon  as  he  heard  these  words,  the  Admiral  hastened 
down  from  his  station  on  the  poop  where  he  stood  wear 
ing  his  gorgeous  silken  cloak  over  a  suit  of  burnished 
armor,  and  baring  his  head,  he  knelt  down  by  the  bulwark 
to  receive  the  Queen's  missive  from  the  worthy  Padre's 
hand.  Having  kissed  the  seals,  he  broke  it  open,  and 
when  he  had  taken  from  it  one  enclosed,  which  he  hid  in 
the  breast  of  his  doublet  as  soon  as  he  had  glanced  at  the 
superscription,  he  read  it  aloud  as  glibly  as  any  clerk 
might  do  it  to  all  his  company. 

"  Now,  by  God  and  Saint  Jago,"  he  said,  rising  when  he 
had  done,  "  we  needed  only  the  Queen's  wishes  to  give 
us  favoring  winds  and  quick  return.  My  thanks  to  our 
sweet  Lady  for  her  too  great  kindness.  Your  blessing, 
Father,  and  farewell !  " 

"Farewell,  your  Excellency;  may  the  mercy  of  God 
and  Mary  Mother  keep  you  from  all  harm  by  sea  or  land." 

All  the  ship's  company  crowded  clamorously  to  the  side, 
eager  to  send  some  last  message  to  their  friends.  Among 
others  I  managed  to  put  into  the  good  Father's  hand  a 
letter  which  he  promised  to  forward  safely  to  its  destina 
tion.  It  expressed  my  gratitude  to  the  excellent  lady  by 
whose  favor  I  had  escaped  from  mine  enemies. 

Then  the  crew  fell  on  their  knees,  the  Admiral  and  his 
officers  stood  with  bowed  heads,  and  the  boat  with  the 
holy  Father  standing  in  the  stern,  his  hands  raised  in 
benediction  and  tears  streaming  down  his  face,  backed 
away  into  the  mist.  The  anchor  was  raised,  the  sails 
hoisted,  a  culverin  fired  to  leeward  as  we  passed  out  of 
the  narrow  channel,  and  the  course  was  set  for  the  Fort- 


10  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

unate  Isles.  When  we  had  outridden  the  mist  the  hills 
of  Spain  had  sunk  from  view. 

This  was  fifty  odd  years  ago.  That  is  a  long  time  to 
look  back  over,  especially  in  days  such  as  I  have  seen 
when  miracles  are  being  wrought  by  sea  and  land  which 
make  one  afraid  to  laugh  at  any  strange  proponing  lest  it 
come  true  upon  the  morrow.  Yet  I  remember  all  I 
thought  and  felt  as  I  stood  there  beside  the  bulwark  and 
looked  out  to  sea,  while  the  old  ship  lurched  and  creaked 
as,  with  all  sails  set  and  a  fair  wind  on  the  starboard 
quarter,  she  pushed  her  blunt  nose  through  the  sparkling 
waves  that  raced  by  her  as  if  in  derision. 

We  know  now  that  it  was  no  such  great  thing  we  had 
set  out  to  do,  for  since  that  time  some  thousands  of  men 
and  hundreds  of  ships,  some  of  them  even  worse  provided 
than  those  we  had,  have  safely  made  the  voyage  to  and 
fro,  and  proved  that  those  things  which  we  most  did  fear 
were  only  figments  which  a  too  warmly  tempered  fancy 
conjured  up  to  give  excuse  for  coward  apprehension  or 
serve  as  a  veil  for  ignorance  ashamed  of  its  own  imperfec 
tion.  But  we  had  no  such  knowledge  to  console  us  that 
August  morning,  when  we  lay  in  the  treacherous  offing 
waiting  for  the  signal  to  depart — none  knew  whither,  with 
leaky  ships,  unpracticed  crews  and  an  Admiral  as  to 
whom  opinions  were  divided  whether  he  were  more  fool 
or  knave.  All  that  we,  who  belonged  to  the  crews  of  the 
doomed  ships,  as  every  one  accounted  them,  knew  of  him 
was  that  by  sailing  westward  he  believed  that  he  could 
reach  the  Ind,  which  every  one  knew  to  lie  to  the  eastward 
instead.  His  reason  for  this  was  that  the  world  was 
round  ;  at  least,  he  so  conceived  it  as  well  as  many  other 
wise  men,  which,  if  true,  there  would  seem  to  be  no  reason 
why  one  might  not  as  easily  go  around  it  one  way  as  the 
other,  save  that  it  never  had  been  done,  which  indeed  was 
no  mean  argument  against  its  being  possible  that  any  one 
should  do  it. 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA.  1 1 

There  were  more  things  than  the  roundness  of  the  earth 
to  be  considered,  too,  though  even  of  that  there  were  few 
who  did  not  doubt,  and  of  our  crews  not  many  who 
believed.  Learned  men  had  argued  stoutly  for  it,  and 
some  conceived  it  had  been  proved,  but  none  of  these 
geographers  had  any  stomach  for  such  a  voyage  as  we 
set  out  upon,  except  the  stout  Biscayan  pilot,  Juan  de  la 
Cosa,  who,  having  sailed  with  the  Admiral  before,  whether 
as  merchant  or  pirate  I  never  could  find  out,  swore,  by 
God  and  Saint  Jago,  he  would  ship  with  him  to  go  to  the 
world's  edge,  if  it  was  flat,  or  across  its  underside,  if  it  was 
round  ;  for  of  all  the  navigators  who  had  sailed  salt  water 
in  his  day,  he  said  Cristofero  Colon  was  chief  and  best. 

But  even  if  the  earth  was  round,  was  it  small  enough 
so  that  one  might  sail  from  Europe  to  Ind,  and  carry  food 
and  water  for  the  voyage  ?  And  if  one  might  sail  down 
the  western  slope  to  the  under- world  of  Ind,  was  there 
any  assurance  or  probability  that  he  could  sail  back 
again  ? 

The  Admiral  vowed  that  he  could,  because  he  said,  "  to 
whatsoever  point  a  wind  bloweth,  another  bloweth  from 
it,"  which  seemed  reasonable  enough,  and  I  doubt  not  it 
be  true,  though  how  he  knew  it  or  why  he  should  believe 
it,  I  trow  not  to  this  day.  He  said,  too,  that  though 
Ind  lieth  beneath  us,  and  its  people  stand  head  down 
wards  all  their  lives,  like  flies  clinging  to  the  ceiling,  yet 
they  fall  not  off  nor  suffer  any  inconvenience,  thereby, 
which,  indeed,  I  had  heard  before,  and  myself  do  know 
now  to  be  true,  but  why  it  is  true  I  know  not  even  yet. 

Of  these  things  it  was  reported  among  the  people  that 
he  had  convinced  the  Pinzons  and  the  other  pilots  by 
strange  arts,  just  as  he  had  bewitched  the  good  Queen 
Isabella  to  believe  in  his  ability  to  accomplish  the  won 
derful  things  he  proposed.  It  was  said  he  had  an  evil 
eye  which  compelled  people  to  his  will  or  brought  mis 
fortune  if  they  stood  in  his  way,  audit  was  because  of 


12  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

this  that,  though  he  had  been  a  rover,  and  in  many  fights 
by  sea  and  land,  he  had  never  yet  received  scratch  or 
hurt,  and  had  never  lost  a  ship  that  he  did  not  speedily 
find  another  patron  to  make  good  his  loss  by  furnishing 
him  a  better.  It  was  because  he  had  been  warned  of  the 
power  of  this  necromancer  it  was  said,  that  good  King 
Ferdinand,  while  refusing  to  favor  his  wild  schemes  or  to 
risk  so  much  as  a  single  maravedi  therein,  yet  escaped 
the  peril  of  his  displeasure  by  permitting  the  Queen  to 
make  the  venture  and  receive  the  profit,  should  any  result, 
while  he  shrewdly  held  the  string  by  which  power  and 
control  were  vested  in  their  joint  majesties,  whenever 
they  might  choose  to  assume  the  same. 

It  was  a  wide  charter,  as  I  have  seen  with  mine  own  eyes, 
which,  with  three  rotten  ships  and  six  score  men  whom  any 
kingdom  might  well  spare,  their  majesties  of  Castile  and 
Aragon  gave  to  this  white-haired  wizard,  with  which  to 
sail  down  the  glowing  steep  of  the  westward  sea  and 
over  the  edge  into  the  deep  abyss  whereinto  falls  the  set 
ting  sun  ;  but  it  was  full  of  vague  words  and  conditions, 
whereon  the  substance  might  be  made  to  hang  to  his 
undoing  who  should  put  faith  therein.  "Blessed  is  he 
whose  contract  is  not  with  a  king,"  whose  word  is  ever 
too  strong  for  another's  fulfillment  or  too  weak  to  hold 
him  back  when  interest  tempts  him  to  forget.  Cristofero 
Colon  was  far  from  being  a  perfect  man,  as  I  came  very 
well  to  know  afterwards,  but  he  made  a  fair  bargain 
with  their  Spanish  majesties,  staking  his  life  against  their 
dole  of  crazy  ships  and  mutinous  men,  only  to  find  that  a 
bargain  'twixt  the  weak  and  strong  is  made  worse  for  the 
weak  by  unexpected  good  fortune  of  the  strong.  One 
has  but  to  note  how  great  the  realm  of  Spain  has  grown 
in  these  fifty  years  last  past,  to  see  on  which  side  the 
vantage  lay  and  how  shamefully  he  was  wronged  through 
whom  it  came.  If  he  had  found  but  the  one  island  of  Es- 
pafiola,  it  had  repaid  their  majesties  ten  thousand  times 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA.  13 

for  their  outlay  and  have  left  him,  if  the  contract  as  I 
have  heard  it  read  had  been  fulfilled,  viceroy  of  no  mean 
proA'ince,  founder  of  a  lordly  family,  and  his  heir  "Admiral 
of  the  Ocean,"  as  he  had  good  right  to  insist  that  he 
should  be  called. 

It  seems  a  strange  thing  at  this  time,  when  all  the 
world  is  afire  with  adventure,  and  ships  are  coming  and 
going  to  and  from  the  Spanish  Main,  laden  with  gold  and 
silver  and  all  sorts  of  precious  stones,  until  the  people  of 
Spain  have  grown  so  brave  that  a  swineherd's  mistress 
outvies  in  jewels  and  gewgaws  the  proudest  dame  at  our 
good  King  Henry's  court,  that  men  should  have  been 
so  chary  of  risking  their  lives  upon  that  first  voyage. 
Though  the  Admiral  painted  marvelous  pictures  of  the 
wealth  of  the  land  he  was  going  to  conquer  and  possess 
— I  heard  him  often  afterwards  tell  of  the  glory  of  Zipangu 
and  the  Grand  Khan,  and  of  the  heathen  to  whom  he  was 
to  bring  the  knowledge  of  the  word  of  God  and  salvation 
through  the  Holy  Church, — neither  priest  nor  courtier 
could  be  induced  to  risk  his  precious  carcass  on  one  of 
those  rotten  hulks  bound  for  the  Sunset  Sea.  The  risks 
were  too  great,  the  sea  too  rough,  and  the  chances  of  a 
safe  return  too  slender  to  meet  the  views  of  the  curled 
darlings  of  the  court ;  and  as  for  the  brothers  of  the  black 
robe,  what  was  the  use  of  their  going  in  search  of  souls 
where  there  might  be  none  to  save  and  a  fair  chance 
of  losing  their  own  ?  So  the  only  padre  whom  we  had  on 
board  was  an  unfrocked  monk  whom  we  mockingly  called 
Fray  Mentiroso,  who,  to  tell  the  truth,  pulled  a  rope  not 
less  stoutly  in  a  storm,  that  his  lips  were  busy  with 
"  Ave  "  and  "  Credo,"  and  our  only  sprigs  of  nobility  were 
some  who  thought  it  better  to  risk  any  fate  rather  than 
await  the  certain  downfall  of  their  pride  through  poverty 
and  shame.  The  end  of  the  war  against  the  Moors  had 
left  the  kingdom  full  of  roystering  swashbucklers,  who, 
though  well  enough  in  the  camp,  were  of  little  value  to  a 


14  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

country  in  time  of  peace.  Many  of  these  were  without 
patrons  and  naturally  fell  into  debt,  and  some  of  them 
into  crime  ;  while  others,  like  myself,  being  of  too  quick 
a  temper,  had  made  powerful  enemies,  or  fallen  under 
suspicion  of  the  black-robed  Familiars  of  the  Holy  Office. 
Some  of  them  were  brave  enough,  and,  indeed,  showed 
themselves  afterwards  to  be  very  devils  at  fighting,  but 
nothing  could  be  more  worthless  on  shipboard  than  a 
Spanish  soldier,  unless  it  be  a  Spanish  grandee. 

This  motley  crew  were  not  cowards,  though  the  prayers 
and  meanings  which  echoed  all  night  long  from  our  decks 
would  have  made  one  think,  who  did  not  know  the  truth, 
that  there  was  not  a  man  among  them  all.  Most  of  them 
would  have  gone  into  battle  willingly  enough,  but  hardly 
one  in  twenty  had  ever  been  on  board  ship  before,  and 
everybody  knows  how  the  smell  of  bilge-water  and  the 
knowledge  that  only  three  inches  of  oak  are  between  him 
and  all  the  salt  sea's  water,  tames  the  bravest  of  lands 
men.  Where  we  lay  there  was  just  enough  swell  to  give 
an  easy  motion  that  should  have  rocked  a  babe  to  sleep, 
but,  what  with  fear  and  apprehension  of  perils  known  and 
unknown,  I  have  never  seen  so  ill  a  crowd  as  the  crew 
of  the  Santa  Maria  that  night.  That  was  what  the  Admiral 
called  her  ;  but  she  had  always  been  a  luckless  craft  and 
had  borne  as  many  names  as  a  Scotch  widow  before  she 
was  given  this  pious  style.  To  sail  on  such  a  ship,  on 
such  a  voyage,  and  to  begin  it  on  a  Friday,  was  a  combina 
tion  of  omens  bad  enough  to  daunt  braver  men  and  wiser 
than  the  lubbers  who  manned  the  little  fleet. 

In  addition  to  these  natural  terrors,  and  a  thousand  times 
more  potent,  were  the  mysteries  that  hung  about  the  ven 
ture  itself.  Most  people  had  no  faith  whatever  in  the  idea 
that  the  earth  was  round  like  a  ball  or  an  apple,  and 
that  one  might  sail  up  and  down  the  sides,  or  up  one  side 
and  down  the  other,  at  will.  The  most  learned  writers  of 
the  Church  declared  it  flatly  opposed  to  the  word  of  God, 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA.  icj 

and  an  especially  presumptuous  and  wicked  thing  for  any 
man  to  undertake.  I  have  often  wondered  that  the  Holy 
Fathers  of  the  Inquisition  did  not  lay  the  Admiral  by  the 
heels  as  a  heretic  long  before  he  got  his  title.  It  is  said 
that  the  relentless  Torquemada  would  have  made  short 
work  of  Cristofero's  visions  and  theories  had  it  not  been 
for  the  Queen's  infatuation  with  "the  crazy  mariner,"  as 
some  called  him,  and  the  fact  that  he  was  too  lean  in 
purse  for  the  arch-Inquisitor  to  care  to  grill.  It  is  even 
said  that  he  threatened  to  summon  him  before  the  Council 
at  the  very  last,  if  her  majesty  did  not  sign  the  decree 
against  the  Jews,  which  she  finally  did  three  days  before 
the  grant  to  Columbus.  Content  with  this  rich  plunder, 
he  could  afford  to  let  the  harmless  navigator  escape — the 
more  so  as  he  thought  the  Admiral  was  going  to  certain 
doom,  and  would  as  surely  disappear  as  if  he  exhaled  in 
smoke  from  the  Quemadero. 

The  Inquisitor-General  had  no  more  faith  in  Cristo 
fero's  plans  than  the  vagabond  monks  who  denounced 
him  in  every  market-place  as  in  league  with  the  devil  and 
bound  to  ride  alive  into  the  torments  sure  to  await  him 
when  dead.  He  believed,  as  did  all  but  a  few  of  the 
wisest  or  more  reckless  of  my  younger  days,  that  the  world 
was  flat,  and  whoever  sailed  too  close  to  the  edge  would 
be  whirled  over  into  the  steaming  depth  that  lay  below. 
Even  those  who  admitted  that  it  might  be  round  said,  with 
great  show  of  truth,  that,  though  one  might  sail  down 
its  side,  it  must  naturally  be  impossible  to  turn  back  and 
sail  up  the  overhanging  edge.  So  that  most  of  those  who 
shipped  with  the  great  Admiral  thought  they  were  going 
not  merely  to  an  earthly  but  an  eternal  doom. 

I  was  not  much  above  twenty  years  of  age  at  that  time, 
but  the  world  seemed  all  behind  me,  and  I  looked  forward 
without  hope,  willing  to  flee  into  the  darkness  of  the 
Sunset  Sea,  in  order  to  escape  the  woe  and  hopeless 
ness  that  lay  behind.  Yet  I  had  approved  myself  a 


16  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

stout  soldier,  winning  even  the  approval  of  Ferdinand 
of  Aragon,  who,  cold  and  cruel  and  treacherous  as  he 
was,  knew  a  soldier,  and  was,  save  one,  perhaps,  the 
ablest  captain  of  his  day.  I  had  the  swart  of  Moorish 
campaigns  upon  my  face,  and  had  won  my  spurs,  if 
not  in  fact,  at  least  by  right,  in  the  long  struggle  that 
gave  Granada  to  their  Majesties  of  Aragon  and  Castile.  I 
had  known  the  joys  of  love,  the  sorrows  of  bereavement, 
and  now  was  fleeing,  with  hate  in  my  heart  against  those 
I  had  served,  into  the  impenetrable  gloom  that  hung  over 
the  wild  adventure  of  the  ' '  Crazy  Admiral. "  It  was  hardly 
strange  that  I  should  feel  no  fear,  and,  being  young,  I 
naturally  desired  to  live.  So  while  I  watched  the  waves 
race  by  and  felt  the  cool  breeze  on  my  brow,  I  forgot  the 
woes  that  were  behind  and  fell  to  dreaming  on  what  the 
fortunes  of  the  little  fleet  might  be,  what  wonders  we 
would  find  and  what  adventures  meet  in  the  regions  to 
which  we  were  bound. 


"TALLERTE  DE  LAJES  !     Tallerte  de  Lajes  !  " 

The  cry  came  from  the  ship's  poop. 

I  started  from  my  dream  in  surprise  and  glanced  back 
ward  before  answering, — 

"Here!" 

The  cabin  boy,  Diego  de  Salcedo,  stood  on  the  ladder 
looking  for  some  response  to  his  call.  A  dozen  hands 
pointed  him  to  me  and  all  eyes  were  turned  upon  me  as 
he  approached. 

"The  Admiral  commands  your  presence, "  he  said,  turn 
ing  on  his  heel  and  signing  me  to  follow. 

I  went  with  him  to  the  cabin  of  our  Captain-General, 
whom  we  called,  by  anticipation,  "the  Admiral." 

"  Know  you  the  Doiia  Juana  de  la  Torre?  "  he  asked, 
when  I  had  made  my  salutation  and  the  boy  had  retired. 

"  I  have  that  honor." 

"  She  that  is  the  guardian  of  our  young  lord,  the  son  of 
our  Sovereign  Lady  of  Castile  ?  "  he  asked  sharply. 

"The  same,  your  Excellency." 

"A  most  prudent  and  learned  lady,"  he  continued, 
"and  most  wisely  chosen  to  teach  one  that  is  to  be  a  king." 

I  could  but  smile  within  myself  at  this  eulogy  of  one 


1 8  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

by  whom  it  was,  in  truth,  well  deserved,  but  of  whom  the 
story  ran  that  it  was  far  other  than  her  intellectual  endow 
ments  that  induced  her  selection.  She  being  then  a  lusty 
young  widow  whose  only  child  hardly  survived  its  birth, 
her  ability  to  minister  to  the  physical  wants  of  the  baby- 
prince  was  more  highly  prized  than  any  power  she  might 
have  to  teach  him  what  it  was  needful  that  he  should  learn. 
So  well  had  she  performed  her  duty  and  such  signal 
capacity  had  she  displayed  in  controlling  her  young  charge 
that  she  remained  as  governess  of  the  prince  she  had 
nourished,  and  because  of  her  prudence  and  attainments 
was  no  inconsiderable  person  at  the  court.  She  was  still 
young  and  very  fair,  and  there  had  been  rumors  that  she 
had  become  infatuated  with  this  strange  man  to  whose 
attractions  men  and  women  alike  yielded,  and  that  no  little 
of  his  success  with  their  Majesties  of  Castile  and  Aragon 
was  due  to  her  prudent  intercession  on  his  behalf.  I  know 
not  how  this  may  have  been,  but  it  is  certain  that  her 
position  gave  her  especial  opportunity  to  gain  the  ear  of 
the  Queen,  and  my  own  experience  showed  that  she  was 
not  without  influence  when  she  chose  to  make  use  of  this 
opportunity. 

"  She  has  commended  thee  to  my  favor." 

"I  count  myself  fortunate,  your  Excellency,  in  having 
so  fair  an  advocate,"  I  answered,  with  a  bow. 

"  Thou  thinkest  the  Dona  Juana  fair  ?  " 

"  Your  Excellency  would  not  have  me  speak  ungallantly 
of  my  benefactress  ?" 

"Thou  knewest,  then,  of  her  intercession  ? " 

"I  had  reason  to  believe  she  would  intercede  in  my 
behalf,  knowing  the  esteem  in  which  she  is  held  by  your 
Excellency." 

He  looked  at  me  through  his  great  white  eyes,  without  a 
smile,  though  it  seemed  he  must  have  understood  the 
allusion.  His  snow-white  hair  gave  a  strange  setting  to 
his  solemn,  ruddy  face.  I  learned  afterward  that  he  had 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA.  19 

very  little  sense  of  humor.  Few  things  moved  him  to  a 
smile,  and  even  when  he  did  so  unbend  it  did  not  seem 
to  be  from  any  appreciation  of  mirth,  but  as  if  he  thought 
it  were  the  proper  thing  to  do  at  a  particular  time. 

"She  has  not  only  commended  thee,  but  repeateth  her 
counsel  in  a  letter  just  received  inclosed  in  the  Queen's 
missive." 

He  moved  his  right  hand,  which  contained  a  small 
scroll  thickly  written  over. 

"  She  says  thou  hast  found  favor  with  a  certain  noble 
lady  ?  "  he  continued, 

"  The  Dona  Juana  is  more  than  kind." 

"  She  hints,  also,  that  thou  art  in  danger  from  the  Holy 
Office. " 

"  The  Black  Brothers  have  been  very  attentive  to  me 
of  late,"  I  answered,  carelessly. 

"For  what  reason  ?  " 

"  I  suppose  I  may  have  spoken  more  freely  of  certain 
things  than  was  approved." 

"The  tongue  is  an  unruly  member,"  he  said,  and, 
considering  the  offenses  charged  against  his  own,  it 
cannot  be  doubted  that  the  Admiral  spoke  with  au 
thority.  "What  may  those  things  have  been  in  regard 
to  which  thou  hast  transgressed  ? "  he  continued  after 
a  moment. 

"Your  Excellency's  project  was  one  of  them." 

"Indeed,  I  did  not  think  those  who  served  our  noble 
Sovereign  against  the  Moors  had  time  or  inclination  to 
discuss  such  questions." 

"  Your  Excellency  forgets  that  no  soldier  who  saw  you 
at  the  siege  of  Baza  can  ever  forget  you,  or  regard  your 
undertaking  with  indifference." 

It  was  a  fortunate  reply.  I  had  touched  his  self-love, 
the  most  sensitive  spot  in  his  nature. 

"  And  thou  wert  there  ?  "  he  asked,  with  some  show  of 
interest. 


20  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

"I  fought  beside  your  Excellency  in  the  'Battle  of  the 
Orchards.'" 

"Thou  didst  !     It  was  a  hard  fight — a  hard  fight  ! '" 

"  I  saw  when  you  overcame  the  big  Gomare  in  the 
path  beside  the  fountain.  His  Majesty  was  looking  on 
and  did  afterward  much  commend  you,  I  was  told." 

"  It  was  not  the  first  time  I  had  used  a  sword,"  the 
Captain-General  answered  with  a  touch  of  pride,  straight 
ening  his  tall  form  and  opening  and  shutting  his  right  hand 
as  he  spoke.  "  I  have  been  told  that  the  king  began  first 
to  believe  in  me  when  he  saw  that  Paynim's  head  roll  in 
the  dust. '' 

"  Faith,  it  was  time,"  I  replied,  laughing.  The  Admiral 
did  not  smile,  and,  in  a  sort  of  desperation,  I  continued, 
"  He  commended  me  that  day  also,  but  it  brought  me  no 
such  luck  as  came  to  your  Excellency  therefrom." 

"And  what  didst  thou  say  of  my  project  that  awakened 
the  wrath  of  the  Inquisition  ?  "  he  asked,  without  paying 
further  heed  to  what  did  not  concern  himself. 

"  That  if  your  Excellency  really  had  no  chance  to  get 
back  from  the  Sea  of  Darkness,  it  were  a  pity  you  could 
not  take  a  shipload  of  the  black-robed  gentry,  \vhom  the 
country  could  well  enough  spare  along  with  you." 

"  Truly,  my  son,"  he  answered,  solemnly,  "  that  was  a 
most  indiscreet  remark,  though  I  see  not  why  it  should  be 
deemed  worthy  of  notice.  My  experience  hath  proved 
that  priests  be  not  infallible." 

"  It  was  more  than  enough  for  the  spies  who  kill  faith 
with  fear,"  I  answered,  with  more  boldness  than  prudence. 
But  I  was  young  then  and  sore  with  many  wrongs.  Be 
sides,  I  think  the  sea  loosens  the  tongue  and  strengthens 
the  heart,  making  a  man  braver  than  he  would  ever  be  on 
land.  Perhaps  this  is  why  sea  fights  are  so  terrible. 

"  The  Brothers  of  the  Black  Robe  are  zealous,"  he  said, 
shaking  his  head;  "  and  it  cannot  be  denied  that  Holy 
Church  needs  jealous  guardians  ;  but  it  does  seem  that 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA.  21 

they  are  at  times  too  ready  to  suspect  even  the  most  devout. 
If  I  be  not  misinformed  there  hath  been  talk  of  denounc 
ing-  me  for  having  dealings  with  the  Evil  One,  when  God 
and  the  Maiden  Mother  know  my  chief  purpose  in  under 
taking-  this  voyage  is  to  find  new  lands  and  peoples  to 
yield  obedience  to  Mother  Church — to  carry  to  the  heathen 
the  knowledge  of  salvation." 

He  crossed  himself  and  whispered  a  prayer.  He  was 
a  very  pious  man  and  was  never  slow  to  let  the  fact  be 
known.  Though  the  Church  held  back  entire  approval  of 
his  design,  he  did  not  fail  to  claim  to  be  its  most  faithful 
devotee.  And,  good  sooth,  the  Admiral  had  small  ground 
to  question  the  favor  of  the  Church,  for  though  some  of 
the  more  ignorant  did  ridicule  and  denounce  his  project, 
and  the  learned  doctors  of  Salamanca  did  once  reject  it, 
yet  of  them  who  did  most  for  his  success,  besides  the 
Superior  of  La  Rabida,  were  also  others — the  most  eminent 
sons  of  the  Church,  the  Confessor  of  our  sovereign  lady 
the  Queen,  the  Treasurers  of  the  realms  of  Castile  and  Ara- 
gon,  his  Grace  of  Toledo,  and  others  the  most  noted  of  the 
priesthood  of  Spain — who  urged  his  cause  with  unremit 
ting  vigor.  Indeed,  though  I  have  small  reason  to  speak 
well  of  them,  and  though  the  head  of  the  Inquisition  did  for 
a  time  oppose  his  views,  yet  it  is  but  just  to  say  that  the 
priests  of  Spain  were  not  all  Salamanca  bigots,  and  with 
out  their  advice  the  good  Queen  had  never  undertaken  the 
venture,  as  without  their  aid  she  had  been  powerless  to 
raise  the  money  by  which  even  this  insignificant  fleet 
was  equipped.  And  if  no  priest  sailed  with  us,  there  were 
those  followed  soon  after,  whose  names  will  forever  add  to 
the  glory  of  that  holy  cause  for  which  they  wrought  and 
suffered.  The  Admiral's  own  experience,  indeed,  hath 
done  much  to  teach  the  world  that  priests  be  human  as 
well  as  other  men,  and  that  a  doctor  of  divinity  hath 
no  charter  to  decide  matters  of  geography  and  cosmog 
raphy. 


22  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

"  Your  name  upon  the  ship's  register  is  Tallerte  de 
Lajes  ;  the  Dona  Juana  says  thou  art  English." 

"  My  name  is  Arthur  Lake." 

"  From  what  part  of  your  country  ?  " 

"  Near  Bristol." 

"Bristol?  I  have  been  there.  Thou  knowest,  per 
chance,  the  navigator  Johan  Caboto — a  learned  man  and 
a  good  navigator,  too.  And  Mr.  Flemming,  the  soap- 
maker.  I  once  sailed  a  ship,  of  which  he  was  part  owner, 
to  the  Hebrides  and  beyond.  By  God's  faith  I  wish 
we  had  as  good  a  bit  of  English  oak  under  our  feet  to-day. 
But  never  mind  ;  by  God's  grace  she  will  live  to  see  the 
end  of  the  voyage — or  of  us,"  he  added,  with  a  shrug. 

"  More  likely  the  latter,"  I  replied. 

"  Thou  art  a  mariner  ?"  he  asked,  eagerly.  "  But  no, 
the  Dona  Juana  said  thou  wert  a  soldier  and  withal  a 
brave  one,  too." 

"  I  am  a  gentleman." 

"A  gentleman?  We  have  a  few  on  board,  but  by 
Saint  Jago,  they  are  poor  freight  on  such  a  voyage  where 
provisions  may  be  scarce  and  work  is  sure  to  be  abundant. " 

"Your  Excellency  knows  that  an  English  gentleman 
never  shirks  his  duty,  even  if  he  finds  it  at  a  rope's  end.  I 
would  as  soon  think  of  letting  you  outdo  me  at  the  hill  of 
Baza,  as  let  one  of  your  men  excel  me  in  my  duties  aboard. 
Besides,  you  know,  we  Britons  are  born  sailors,  and  I  have 
held  the  tiller  in  many  a  stiff  blow  in  Bristol  Bay  under 
the  best  captains  of  the  port. " 

"Well,  by  Heaven,  thou  hadst  good  masters  if  thou  sailed 
with  them  !  Now,  what  shall  I  do  for  thee  that  will  secure 
me  favor  with  the  good  Doiia  Juana  ?  Thou  canst  write  ?  " 

"  As  passably  as  one  may  who  has  with  difficulty 
escaped  the  service  of  the  Church. " 

"  I  venture  it  is  naught  to  be  ashamed  of,  then,  for  the 
Holy  Fathers  are  good  teachers  of  their  own.  How  earnest 
thou  by  Spanish  so  correct?"  His  own  never  lost  its 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA.  23 

Italian  car-marks,   though  it  bore  still    stronger  flavor  of 
the  tongue  of  Portugal. 

"  The  father  that  taught  me  the  humanities  was  from 
Cordova. " 

"  Thou  hast  been  fortunate  indeed.  I  shall  have  to 
make  thee  a  cadet  to  learn  the  art  and  mystery  of  navi 
gation,  geography  and  discovery  ;  though  when  we  have 
found  Zipangu,  the  great  Archipelago  and  the  kingdom 
of  the  Grand  Khan,  there  will  be  little  more  worth  rinding 
out  on  earth.  Thou  shalt  keep  the  log  for  me — I  will  tell 
the  crew  that  I  have  chosen  one  of  their  number  to  do  it,  so 
they  will  know  I  am  not  deceiving  them,  and  I  will  teach 
thee  all  that  is  to  be  learned  of  navigation,  so  that  thou 
canst  take  a  ship  to  Zipangu  and  return  thyself." 

I  bowed  acknowledgment,  and  taking  from  the  fold  of 
my  Andalusian  cap  a  bit  of  vellum  I  unrolled  and  handed 
it  to  him.  He  read  it  and  said,  coolly  : 

"Thou  sawest  Bartolomeo,  then ?  " 

"He  lay  sick  at  my  father's  house  for  many  weeks." 

"Whither  went  he  then  ?  " 

"To  London-town,  in  company  with  Master  Flemming 
and  others,  to  lay  the  matter  before  the  king." 

"  Dost  think  he  hath  succeeded  ?  " 

"  That  was  four  years  agone,  and  I  have  heard  nothing 
since.  If  he  had  won  the  King  to  his  way,  surely  you 
would  have  known." 

"It  doth  not  follow;  the  Holy  Father  hath  of  late 
divided  the  world  between  Spain  and  Portugal,  and  King 
Henry  might  well  choose  to  get  his  share  before  they  could 
lay  claim  to  all  of  it  by  first  discovery.  He  is  -a  very 
prudent  monarch,  I  am  told.  And  thou  sayst  this  was 
four  years  ago  ?  " 

He  drew  a  long  breath  and  shook  his  head. 

"  I  misdoubt  Bartolomeo  may  have  forestalled  us  on 
the  way  to  the  Ind.  He  is  a  bold  navigator  and  a 
shrewd  man.  Did  he  tell  thee  of  my  plans  ?  " 


24  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

"  We  talked  of  them — sometimes." 

"  I  warrant  he  showed  the  charts  he  carried  ? 

"  I  think  I  have  seen  some  of  them." 

"Of  course,  and  all  the  sailors  and  navigators  in  Eng 
land  too,  I  suppose — the  Cabotos,  Lloyds,  and  all  the 
others  ? " 

"  He  indeed  talked  often  with  them,  but  I  never  knew 
him  to  show  the  charts  or  disclose  your  projects  beyond 
the  limit  of  good  faith." 

"  O,  he  was  close-mouthed,  was  he?  Bartolomeo  is 
sly  when  he  chooses  to  be — sly  as  a  cat.  Let  us  pray 
King  Henry's  parsimony  may  have  prevented,  else  we 
stand  to  meet  him  on  the  way  back  loaded  to  the  gun 
nel  with  gold  and  precious  stones,  silks  and  spices  from 
the  Ind.  I  know  Bartolomeo.  He  would  have  done 
this  very  thing  a  dozen  years  ago,  only  he  is  too  unready 
of  tongue  to  persuade  any  one  to  embark  with  him  in 
such  enterprise.  The  saints  grant  his  ill-luck  may  not 
have  forsaken  him." 

It  was  evident  that  his  brother's  was  not  the  name  with 
which  to  win  the  favor  of  the  Admiral.  He  walked  back 
and  forth  in  his  narrow  cabin  much  disturbed.  He  had 
laid  aside  his  robe  and  the  armor  he  wore  when  we 
weighed  anchor,  and  was  clad  now  in  a  soft  buff  doublet, 
the  sleeves  slashed  with  velvet,  puffed  hose,  with  a  silk 
girdle,  and  soft  leather  shoes,  and  carried  only  a  dagger 
at  his  side.  He  looked  the  grandee  rather  than  the  son 
of  a  wool-comber,  and  a  mariner  who  had  only  bound 
less  hopes  on  which  to  base  his  assumptions.  I  did  not 
wonder  that  the  few  noblemen  on  board  brooked  his  arro 
gance  but  ill.  He  was  a  great  navigator,  and  in  capacity 
to  handle  a  ship,  quickness  of  resource  and  ability  to  make 
even  the  most  perilous  conditions  of  wind  and  wave  sub 
serve  his  purpose,  there  has  not  been  his  equal  among 
the  sea-faring  men  of  my  time. 

"And  thou,"  he  said  suddenly,  turning  sharply  upon  me 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA.  25 

where  I  stood  next  the  door,  ' '  why  didst  thou  come  on 
board  ?  Why  didst  thou,  a  gentleman,  enlist  as  a  common 
sailor  ?  Did  Bartolomeo  advise  thee  so  to  do  ?  " 

I  have  often  had  occasion  to  bless  that  Spanish  habit 
which  permits  plain  speech  to  a  superior.  Our  English 
lips  are  none  too  well  versed  in  flattery,  and  mine  in 
particular  opened  too  easily  on  the  hinges  of  a  Welsh 
temper  to  make  me  over-heedful. 

"Indeed,  your  Excellency,"  I  replied  hotly,  "  I  thought 
I  had  made  it  plain  that  I  came  upon  your  ship  neither 
for  pleasure  nor  profit,  but  because  it  was  not  healthy  for 
me  to  remain  in  Spain  and  there  seemed  no  other  way  to 
get  out. " 

He  looked  at  me  fixedly  for  a  moment,  his  great  white 
eyes  showing  cold  and  hard  under  his  white  brows,  and 
said  slowly  and  absently  : 

"True,  true.  Why  not  ?  As  well  he  as  another,  as  well 
he  as  another.  Thou  art  to  be  a  cadet  and  serve  with  the 
pilots,  but  thou  wilt  sleep  with  the  men.  Go  now  to  Juan 
de  la  Cosa,  the  Master,  and  tell  him  he  is  to  instruct  thee." 

I  bowed  low  and  went  back  to  the  deck  feeling  that  I 
had  seen  one  with  an  eye  which  would  surely  bring 
misfortune  if  it  were  not  that  I  was  past  fear  of  farther 
evil.  The  day  was  hot  and  the  sun  glared  fiercely  down, 
but  I  shivered  as  I  stood  by  the  bulwark.  When  the 
crew  was  mustered  for  evening  prayers  it  was  announced 
that  I  had  been  appointed  a  cadet  in  navigation,  to  attend 
upon  his  Excellency  and  keep  the  record  of  the  voyage, 
which  should  be  open  to  all  the  crew,  under  direction  of 
his  Excellency  the  Admiral,  Juan  de  la  Cosa,  the  Pilot,  and 
Rodrigo  de  Escobedo,  the  Royal  Notary,  accompanying 
the  expedition.  Whereupon  I  went  aft,  and,  kneeling  at 
the  foot  of  the  steps  that  led  up  to  the  poop,  took  the  oath 
of  office  and  received  some  sheets  of  parchment,  loosely 
stitched  together,  an  ink-horn  with  a  hook  to  attach  it  to 
my  belt,  and  a  pen.  Despite  the  unpleasant  impression 


26  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

made  upon  me  by  the  Admiral  I  felt  not  a  little  pleased  by 
this  promotion  until  it  dawned  upon  me  at  length  that  it 
was  a  place  which  one  might  well  desire  a  man  to  hold 
whose  death  would  be  of  little  consequence.  Perhaps 
you  wonder  how  I,  a  Gloster  lad,  not  without  claim  to 
fair  descent,  came  thus  to  be  a  shuttlecock  between  the 
poop  and  the  forecastle  on  the  flagship  of  the  Spanish 
Admiral  of  the  Western  Seas  which  no  Christian's  eye  had 
ever  yet  beheld.  It  is  a  long  story,  but  what  happened 
afterward  is  so  interwoven  with  what  went  before  that 
the  one  can  hardly  be  apprehended  without  knowledge 
of  the  other. 


I  WAS  literally  the  black  sheep 
of    my    father's    family.     The 
youngest  of  three  sons,  I  was  unfor 
tunate,  in   having  the  lineaments  of 
my  dour  Welsh  father  rather  than  those  of  my   fair 
North  Country    mother.      I  was  even  unfortunate 
in  the  hour  of  my  birth. 

Our  family  name  was  Leake,  before  we  crossed  the 
Severn  into  Gloster.  There  was  no  reason  why  they 
should  have  been  ashamed  of  the  Welsh  patronymic,  for 
it  was  an  honorable  family,  one  of  our  ancestors  having 
married  a  niece  of  that  Owen  Tudor  who  was  fortunate 
enough  to  attract  the  favor  of  the  Dowager  Queen  Cath 
erine  of  France,  the  consort  of  our  good  King  Henry  V., 
who  upon  the  death  of  her  royal  spouse  became  so  enam 
ored  of  her  faithful  squire  as  to  wed  him  in  secret.  Some 
have  questioned  the  marriage,  and  indeed  it  does  bear 
the  complexion  of  an  afterthought ;  but  whether  genuine 
or  spurious,  it  was  to  the  full  as  good  as  that  by  which 
the  daughter  of  John  of  Beaufort  claimed  descent  from 

John  of  Gaunt,    since  the    children    Catherine  Swynford 

27 


28  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

bore  to  the  great  Duke  were  not  only  born  before  wed 
lock,  but  while  he  was  still  the  husband  of  another.  But 
an  act  of  Parliament  cures  all  lapses,  and,  good  sooth,  it 
mattered  little  to  King  Henry  VII.,  when  once  he  was 
well  settled  on  the  throne,  whether  the  plaster  were  needed 
on  one  of  his  stout  legs  or  the  other.  As  for  our  present 
merrie  monarch,  his  right  stands  above  impeachment, 
for  he  hath  in  his  veins  not  only  the  blood  of  Lancaster, 
but  that  of  his  mother,  Elizabeth  of  York,  as  well. 
Haply  the  War  of  the  Roses  be  now  forever  at  an  end, 
and  the  people  of  England  care  little  whether  the  blood 
of  the  King  be  that  of  York  or  Lancaster  or  Owen  Tudor's, 
and  still  less  whether  it  was  duly  mixed  in  holy  wedlock 
or  not,  so  long  as  it  be  stout  enough  to  keep  the  realm  at 
peace  and  our  enemies  at  good  distance  from  its  shores. 

It  was  in  this  way  that  the  Leakes,  weaned  from  their 
Welsh  pride,  came  to  cross  the  Severn  and  become  Lakes 
instead.  They  had  been  hot  Lancastrians  before,  and 
were  still  hotter  after.  How  they  managed  to  flourish  in 
those  tumultuous  times  I  know  not,  but  I  have  seen  often 
enough  the  indentures  which  showed  that,  in  becoming 
English,  they  lost  none  of  their  Welsh  thrift.  They  seem 
to  have  had  a  representative  at  court,  a  soldier  of  the 
guards  or  a  gentleman  in  waiting,  for  generations,  and  I 
take  it  their  modesty  did  not  often  stand  in  the  way  of 
their  advancement. 

At  any  rate,  my  grandfather  left  his  only  son  two  things, 
both  of  which  were  intended  as  blessings,  though  one 
might  easily  have  proved  a  curse.  The  one  was  a  snug 
little  estate  in  Golden  Valley,  a  warm  cove  of  the  Cotes- 
wolds,  large  enough  to  support  the  dignity  of  a  gentle 
man  and  rich  enough  to  uphold  the  family  pretensions, 
which  were  represented  by  his  other  bequest,  the  name  of 
Tudor  Lake. 

With  these  two  inheritances  my  father  began  his  career 
at  court  at  an  early  day,  being  in  the  train  of  Suffolk  when 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA.  29 

he  brought  over  Margaret  of  Anjou,  daughter  of  the  King- 
Duke  of  many  titles,  who  was  best  known  as  "  Rene,  the 
Good,"  chiefly,  I  think,  because  he  was  good  for  nothing, 
when  she  came  to  wed  the  unfortunate  King  Henry 
VI.  They  were  a  douce  young  couple  then,  as  I  have 
heard  him  tell,  the  fair-haired  girl-queen,  barely  fifteen 
years  old,  and  the  gentle  king,  but  twenty-four,  looking 
forward  to  a  life  of  peace  and  happiness  rather  than  the 
tumultuous  years  ending  in  bloody  eclipse  that  lay  before 
them. 

It  is  not  strange  that  the  sturdy  Welsh  boy  gained  the 
favor  of  the  young  Queen,  became  a  Squire  of  the  Bed 
chamber,  was  early  knighted  for  gallant  deeds  and  bound 
himself  still  more  closely  to  his  sovereign  by  marriage 
with  the  fairest  of  the  Maids  of  Honor  at  the  court,  blue- 
eyed  and  golden-haired  Alvisa  Stratton  of  Northumber 
land.  She  brought  him  love  and  beauty  as  well  as  the 
favor  of  the  Queen  Sovereign,  but  her  mother  was  a 
Neville,  whose  family  had  been  Yorkists  ever  since  bloody 
Richard  usurped  the  title  in  his  brother's  name.  So  she 
brought  him  little  wealth,  and  when  they  fled  across  the 
sea  with  their  unfortunate  but  heroic  mistress,  even  the 
little  estate  in  Golden  Valley  fell  to  the  Yorkists,  and  only 
the  favor  of  Margaret  and  the  stormy  fortunes  of  the  half 
crazy  king  remained  to  them.  It  is  no  great  thing  that 
my  father  should  have  remained  true  to  a  sovereign  so 
kind  as  Margaret  of  Anjou  was  to  him  ;  but  I  am  glad  to 
believe  that  no  misfortunes,  peril  of  battle,  wounds  or 
hopelessness  ever  caused  him  to  waver  in  his  devotion  to 
her  interests.  If  Edgemont  had  been  the  whole  shire  of 
Gloster,  I  think  he  would  have  lost  it  gladly  for  her  sake, 
and  his  head  with  it. 

Then  followed  some  peaceful  years  at  the  castle  in 
Aquitaine,  which  King  Rene  gave  his  daughter  as  a  shelter 
in  her  distress,  and  of  which  my  father  was  made 
seneschal.  Though  Henry,  seeking  to  recover  his  king- 


30  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

dom,  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  false  Edward,  and  Queen 
Margaret  ceased  not  to  scheme  for  the  recovery  of  the 
throne  which  rightfully  belonged  to  her  son,  these  were 
no  doubt  pleasant  years  to  the  young  lovers  who  served 
her.  During  this  time  were  born  my  two  brothers,  fair- 
haired  and  bloomy-cheeked  youngsters  who,  as  they  grew 
up,  captivated  women  with  their  beauty  and  men  with 
their  boyish  spirit  and  courage.  The  younger  was  five 
years  old  or  more  when  my  father  departed  upon  that 
sad  expedition  which  ended  at  Tewkesbury,  leaving  my 
mother,  the  Lady  Tudor  Lake,  Queen's  chatelaine  and 
warder  at  her  ancestral  castle.  It  was  on  that  day  when 
the  good  Queen's  son,  the  fair  and  gallant  Edward,  was 
basely  murdered,  and  the  sun  of  Lancaster  set,  it  was 
thought  never  to  rise  again,  on  the  bloody  field  of  Tewkes 
bury,  that  I  was  born.  Not  content  with  this  ill-omen, 
fate  gave  me  a  visage  as  swarthy  and  a  temper  as  short 
as  that  of  any  Ap  Leake  who  ever  flourished  under  the 
shadow  of  Snowdon  Crag.  However,  with  it  came  the 
blessing  of  a  frame  as  tough  as  the  iron  that  hides  in  the 
Welsh  hills  and  a  spirit  that  recked  but  little  for  the  glare 
of  courts,  and  would  rather  win  than  inherit  whatever 
it  possessed. 

It  was  long  before  the  young  Chatelaine  heard  of  the  mis 
fortune  of  her  sovereign,  and  even  then  she  could  gather 
nothing  of  the  fate  of  her  lord.  Doubting  not  that  he  had 
been  slain  in  defense  of  his  liege  lady's  right,  when  a  year 
and  a  day  had  passed,  she  donned  the  widow's  garb,  the 
pointed  cap  of  Aquitaine  hiding  her  golden  curls,  while 
its  white  lappets  kissed  her  fair  cheeks  and  fell  a  mingled 
white  and  black  cascade  over  neck  and  shoulders  down  to 
the  waist.  So  she  waited  the  coming  of  the  Queen  to  sur 
render  her  trust.  King  Rene  came  often  to  the  castle, 
charmed,  no  doubt,  by  the  beauty  and  discretion  of  the 
fair  Chatelaine,  and  stung,  perhaps,  with  remorse  at  not 
having  espoused  his  daughter's  cause  more  fervently.  The 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA.  31 

learned  men  whom  the  Queen's  wit  and  grace  had  attracted 
thither,  continued  to  pass  the  years  of  exile  around  the 
board  which  waited  for  her  return  ;  and  my  brothers, 
both  of  whom  were  pages  at  the  court  of  the  romantic 
King,  enjoyed  rare  opportunities  to  acquire  skill  m  arms 
and  knowledge  of  chivalry  and  courtesy.  As  for  me,  I 
had  my  mother  and  the  cowls  and  gowns  of  the  wise  men 
for  my  companions.  It  seemed,  indeed,  as  if  fate  had 


predestined  me  for  the  cloister,  save  for  the  rugged  body 
and  boisterous  temper  it  had  bestowed. 

Among  all  that  came,  however,  none  brought  any  tid 
ings  of  my  father's  fate,  until  one  day  when  I  was  going 
on  six  years  old,  while  sitting  at  my  mother's  feet  in  the 
court  of  the  castle,  a  warder  came  to  say  that  a  stranger 
desired  audience  with  the  Chatelaine.  She  had  been  sing 
ing  some  of  King  Rene's  amorous  ditties,  and  I  remember 
well  the  soft  color  on  her  cheeks  as  she  graciously  ad- 


32  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

dressed  the  warder  and  bade  him  admit  the  stranger  to  her 
presence.  She  was  very  beautiful,  though,  in  the  long 
black  robe  which  hung  straight  from  the  shoulder  to  the 
ground  and  the  quaint  widow's  cap  which  hid  all  but 
the  eyes  and  lower  part  of  the  face,  I  fancy  she  had  little 
resemblance  to  the  slender,  golden-haired  girl-wife  who 
had  crossed  the  Channel  with  her  fugitive  Queen  a  dozen 
years  before. 

She  sneezed  thrice  as  the  servant  passed  out  of  the  court, 
whereat  she  laughed  gaily  and  said  an  angel  must  have 
brushed  her  lips  with  his  wing  coming  in  haste  to  bring 
good  fortune,  for  which  she  gave  thanks  in  advance,  a 
most  excellent  habit,  since  otherwise  we  might  forget  to 
give  thanks  at  all.  I  stood  gazing  up  into  her  face  when 
the  stranger  entered,  and  she  rose  to  greet  him.  I  hated  him 
at  sight  and  regarded  him  with  black  scowling  brows  as 
he  crossed  the  marble  court  to  the  place  where  we  stood. 
He  had  taken  off  his  morion  while  he  waited  in  the 
warder's  room,  for  it  was  midsummer  and  the  days  are 
hot  in  Aquitaine,  and  now  carried  it  in  his  right  hand, 
while  the  left  rested  on  the  hilt  of  his  sword,  whose  metal- 
tipped  scabbard  grated  harshly  on  the  marble  pavement, 
as  he  came  forward  with  a  halting  irregular  step  which 
spoke  of  war  and  wounds.  I  noticed  that  his  morion  bore 
a  white  and  red  plume,  the  only  ornament  he  wore,  the 
emblem,  as  I  knew,  of  the  houses  of  York  and  Lancaster, 
united  in  the  Earl  of  Richmond,  then  claiming  the  English 
throne,  though  there  seemed  little  prospect  of  his  getting 
it  from  the  bloody  but  brave  Richard  III.  His  clothes 
were  by  no  means  new  nor  of  the  latest  style,  and  his 
armor,  though  evidently  of  fine  quality,  was  already 
becoming  antiquated  and  showed  many  marks  of  use. 
He  was  a  man  of  middle  age,  his  face  framed  with  a 
short  black  beard  streaked  underneath  with  gray.  His 
hair  was  black,  but  his  brows  showed  traces  of  white,  and 
there  were  deep  lines  about  his  eyes.  He  stopped  a  couple 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA.  33 

of  steps  away,  and  bowing  with  an  unexpected  grace,  said 
in  a  harsh,  imperious  tone  : 

"  I  seek  speech  with  the  Chatelaine  of  the  Royal  Lady 
Margaret  of  England.'' 

"  Speak,"  answered  my  mother  with  a  gracious  inclina 
tion. 

"Arc  you  she?"  he  asked  in  surprise. 

"I  am  the  Lady  Alvisa  Lake,  at  your  service,  Sir 
Knight,  '  she  said. 

"  Since  when  is  your  ladyship  become  a  widow  ?" 

"  Since  the  fatal  day  of  Tcwkcsbury. " 

"  And  still  a  widow?  Why,  madam,  that  is  five  years 
agone  and  more." 

My  mother  cast  her  eyes  down  upon  me  and  answered 
this  rudeness  only  with  a  sigh. 

"Good  sooth,"  the  stranger  continued,  "your  lord 
must  have  been  a  proper  man  to  be  mourned  so  long,  or 
gallants  be  fewer  and  duller  in  Lorainethan  when  I  knew 
it  last." 

"  You  will  please  state  on  what  affair  you  come,  Sir 
Knight,  and  spare  me  further  comment  on  my  misfortune," 
said  my  mother,  with  dignity. 

"  In  faith,  that  is  my  affair — the  very  pith  and  marrow 
of  my  affair. " 

"  Do  you  mean  my  misfortune?" 

"  I  mean  nothing  less — I  am  come  to  seek  a  wife." 

"  I  thank  you,  sir  ;  but  there  need  be  no  further  parley. 
There  is  none  here  for  you  to  wed." 

"Who  speaks  of  wedding?  I  said  I  came  to  seek  a 
wife — not  a  sweetheart.  Nay,  I  have  found  her,  but  that 
she  weareth  widow's  weeds." 

My  mother  looked  at  him  furtively,  evidently  doubtful  if 
he  were  in  his  right  mind,  and  said  very  mildly  and  com 
passionately  : 

"  What  might  be  your  name,  Sir  Knight,  and  whence 
come  you  ?  " 

3 


34  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

"  My  name,  like  my  face,  seems  to  have  been  for 
gotten.  I  was  of  Edgcmont,  County  Glostcr,  in  the  un 
happy  realm  of  England,  and  men  called  me  once  Sir 
Tudor  Lake." 

My  mother  did  not  cry  out  nor  utter  any  sound,  but  the 
color  left  her  face,  her  limbs  bent,  and  she  fell  in  a  heap 
upon  the  ground. 

"  Alvisa !  Dost  thou  not  know  me?"  the  stranger 
exclaimed,  as  he  rushed  forward  to  lift  her  up. 

No  sooner  did  he  start  than  I  threw  myself  in  his  way, 
fastening  my  teeth  upon  his  bare  left  hand  which  was  the 
only  salient  point  at  which  I  was  able  to  attack  him.  He 
tried  to  shake  me  off;  but  I  clutched  his  arm,  and  twining 
my  legs  about  one  of  his,  kept  my  hold.  He  did  not 
trifle  with  me,  and  buffet  after  buffet  of  his  gauntleted  right 
hand  fell  upon  my  head  until  the  world  grew  black,  my 
grip  relaxed,  and  I  fell  on  the  pavement  beside  my  mother. 

When  I  recovered  consciousness  the  stranger  was  hold 
ing  my  mother  in  his  arms  upon  the  bench  ;  the  widow's  cap 
and  veil  were  on  the  ground  beside  him  ;  her  arm  was  about 
his  neck,  and  her  fair  hair  fell  down  like  a  stream  of  sun 
light  on  her  black  gown.  There  were  maids  and  servants 
grouped  about  with  cordials  and  essences,  and  laughter 
and  tears  abounded,  with  much  chatter  over  "  my  lord's 
return  "  and  "  my  lady's  happiness."  One  of  the  maids 
had  picked  me  up,  brushed  the  dust  from  my  clothes,  and 
sought  to  soothe  my  sobbing.  The  stranger's  eye  fell  on 
me,  and  he  asked  with  brusque  pleasantry  : 

"Who  is  this  black  wolf-cub  whom  you  keep  at  your 
side  to  bite  those  who  approach  your  bower  ? "  He 
showed  his  hand  as  he  spoke  with  the  bloody  marks  of 
small  teeth  upon  it. 

My  mother  loosed  herself  from  his  embrace  and  smil 
ingly  beckoned  to  me  as  she  said  : 

"This  be  your  son,  my  good  lord — your  son  Arthur, 
whom  you  have  never  seen  before." 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA.  35 

"My  son  ?  " 

"  None  other  ;  born  on  the  very  day  it  was  deemed 
thou  hadst  fallen.  He  hath  been  the  comfort  of  my 
widowhood." 

"A  most  surly  comforter,"  rejoined  the  stranger  un 
graciously.  <lWhy,  he  is  black  as  a  Welsh  bear  and  as 
savage.  One  would  never  guess  he  was  akin  to  my  fair 
lady.  Come  hither,  sirrah,  and  greet  thy  father." 

I  hung  back  sullenly. 

"  I  misdoubt  he  has  been  spoiled,  being  so  long  with 
out  discipline,"  said  my  father  angrily.  "  He  is  ill-man 
nered  and  ill-favored.  We  will  give  him  to  the  Church, 
dear  ;  he  already  wears  her  colors,  ami  she  has  many 
ways  to  tame  rebellious  spirits.  But  where  are  my  other 
sons  ?  I  warrant  they  be  neither  boors  nor  brutes." 

It  was  thus  I  met  my  father,  and  though  I  came  after 
ward  at  my  mother's  bidding  and  knelt  to  receive  his 
blessing,  my  heart  was  black  within  me,  and  I  felt  a  sense 
of  wrong  and  loss  even  while  his  hand  rested  on  my 
head. 


CHAPTER 


THUS,  my  first  acquaintance  with  my  father  began 
ominously  enough,  and  the  presage  was  abundantly  ful 
filled.  From  that  moment  we  were  ever  at  variance. 
There  is  a  proverb  that  one  docs  not  fall  in  love  with 
himself.  I  think  this  is  not  always  true,  but  it  is  certain 
my  father  did  not  fall  in  love  with  me,  though  in  frame, 
countenance,  and  even  in  shortness  of  temper,  I  was  his 
"express  image,''  as  the  theologians  say.  It  was  not 
without  reason  that  he  called  me  a  Welsh  cub.  I  might 
have  been  a  furry  foundling  from  the  caves  of  Snowdon, 
almost,  so  far  as  blackness  of  visage  and  inclination  to 
broil  were  concerned.  It  came  as  natural  for  me  to  bite 
as  if  I  had  been  suckled  by  a  bear  instead  of  being  nour 
ished  by  the  sweetest  woman  in  all  Aquitaine. 

In  all  this  I  was  my  father  over  again,  and  the  close 
ness  of  the  duplication  argued  ill  for  the  peace  of  the 
house  where  both  should  dwell.  Besides,  we  were  both 
in  love  with  the  same  woman,  which  always  brings 
36 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 


37 


trouble.  Child  as  I  was,  I  resented  the  flout  he  had  given 
me  not  half  so  keenly  as  I  did  the  black-browed  stranger's 
cool  appropriation  of  my  mother. 

How  I  did  love  her  !  "  Blessed  is  the  babe  whose 
mother  is  fair/''  is  a  proverb  often  repeated.  My  mother 
was  not  only  fair,  but  one  of  those  women  whose  loveli 
ness  mocks  at  time  and  care.  The  softness  of  her  cheek, 
the  mellow  golden-brown  of  her  hair,  the  gentle  light  of 
her  blue  eyes,  and  the  sweet  spirit  that  illuminated  and^ 
informed  the  whole,  made  a  picture  which  the  painters 
have  not  been  able  to  rival,  and  which  was  not  destined 
to  fade  with  age. 

How  I  loved  her  !  From  my  infancy,  I  had  been  ac 
customed  to  see  the  good  King  Rene  and  the  gay  gallants 
of  his  court  pay  reverent  homage  to  the  quiet  Chatelaine 
of  our  castle  whose  demesne  she  overlooked,  and  whose 
revenues  she  hoarded  so  carefully  for  her  absent  Queen. 
My  brothers,  the  youngest  elder  than  I  by  half  a  dozen 
years,  had  been  almost  by  force  taken  from  her  to  meet 
the  demand  of  the  fair  dames  of  the  Court  of  Love  for 
comely  Cupids  and  pretty  pages.  They  had  her  bloomy 
cheeks  and  blue  eyes,  and  the  curls  that  clustered  around 
their  heads  shone  with  even  a  softer  radiance  than  hers. 
They  were  sweet-tempered  and  well-limbed,  too,  such  as 
ladies  love  to  dandle,  but  the  long  black  lashes  that  fell 
over  their  soft  eyes  showed  that  they  would  some  time 
do  a  man's  devoir  and  play  havoc,  also,  with  hearts  such 
as  fluttered  behind  the  bodices  to  which  they  were  then 
so  carelessly  pressed. 

I  do  not  wonder  that  women  love  such  boys.  I  used 
to  think  they  were  even  more  beautiful  than  the  angels  of 
whose  glories  my  nurse  sang  and  the  priests  chanted, 
when  now  and  then  they  came  with  a  merry  train  of 
royal  attendants  to  pay  their  respects  to  our  mother  or 
perhaps  to  take  part  in  some  junket  which  the  merry 
monarch  had  planned  in  the  neighborhood  of  our  castle, 


98810 


38  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

in  order,  as  I  now  suspect,  that  its  chaste  warder  might 
be  wiled  into  some  enjoyment  of  the  gay  revels  which 
her  widow's  weeds  served  as  excuse  for  avoiding  when 
proper  courtesy  would  admit.  I  have  seen  her  at  such 
times  with  one  fair  boy  upon  her  lap  and  one  standing 
proudly  by  her  side,  while  lords  and  ladies  looked  on 
admiringly,  and  heard  the  good  king  say  under  his  breath 
to  one  standing  by  : 

"  Think  you  the  Mother  of  God  were  fairer." 

Yet  I  was  not  jealous  of  them,  and  none  were  jealous 
of  her,  because  they  knew  that  she  loved  her  dead  lord 
more  than  any  that  paid  court  to  her,  and  I  knew  that 
she  loved  me  best  of  all  that  lived. 

Perhaps  it  was  because  I  was  the  last  token  of  her  deal 
lord's  love,  perhaps  because  of  the  shadows  that  hung 
about  the  hour  of  my  birth,  perhaps  because  of  my  re 
semblance  to  the  husband  she  had  lost,  perhaps  because 
of  all  these  things,  or  from  the  very  contrariness  of  love 
itself,  but  true  it  is  her  heart  turned  half  away  from  the 
beautiful  boys  who  were  learning  courtesy  and  poesy  and 
fitting  themselves  for  knightly  honor  at  the  good  King's 
court,  where  minstrelsy  and  chivalry  strove  to  gild  the 
hard  present  with  the  golden  dust  of  the  past,  and  fastened 
itself  with  increased  fervor  on  the  black-browed  little 
Welshman  who  came  to  her  arms  the  very  day  her  lord 
bade  good-by  to  them  forever.  At  any  rate,  I  knew,  and 
I  fancy  others  knew,  that  I  was  my  mother's  favorite. 

How  I  loved  her  !  I  think  from  very  babyhood  her 
beauty  soothed  me,  and  as  I  grew  older  I  was  never 
tired  of  watching  her  face  or  listening  to  her  voice.  What 
stories  she  told  !  Forsooth  they  were  but  echoes  of  her 
own  dreams  and  memories  !  Stories  of  the  brave,  fair 
Queen  whose  courage,  fortitude,  and  faithfulness  upheld 
the  right  of  her  poor  brain-sick  lord  through  all  those 
years  when  the  strife  of  the  Roses  stained  the  fields  and 
highways  of  Mcrrie  England  with  brothers'  blood.  Tales 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 


39 


of  her  own  brave  lord's  adventures,  perils,  wounds,  and 
escapes  on  field  and  flood,  in  all  the  boisterous  years  that 
lay  between  St.  Alban's  fight  and  Tewkesbury's  bloody 
mead  ! 

How  I  gloried  in  the  brave  soldier  so  faithful  to  his 
Queen,  who,  bruised  and  beaten,  hacked  with  many 
swords  and  worn  with  many  toils,  was  with  the  saints  at 
rest !  But  somehow  this  picture,  which  my  fervent  fancy 
drew  from  my  mother's  loving  words,  did  not  at  all  com 
port  with  the  sturdy,  hard-faced,  black-browed  fighter 
who,  not  lacking  in  courtesy  withal,  but  contemptuous  of 
show  and  blazonry,  as  one  who  had  cut  his  name  with 
his  sword  upon  the  forefront  of  the  time  in  which  he  lived 
had  good  right  to  be,  stalked  halt  and  grim  into  our 
mourning  Eden,  and  snatched  away  my  beautiful  mother 
from  me.  I  felt  that  I  had  lost  all  that  I  had.  No  one 
else  had  ever  thought  of  loving  me — indeed,  I  wanted  no 
other  love.  I  knew  I  was  not  comely  and  could  never 
hope  to  be  a  page  or  courtier.  I  think  the  merry  jesters 
of  King  Rene's  court  did  want  me  once — for  a  demon 
dwarf!  I  heard  them  discussing  my  qualities  with  that 
view.  Scowling  face,  black  hair,  big  head,  short  neck, 
wide  shoulders,  broad  back  and  legs  like  a  young  Her 
cules.  That  was  the  inventory  of  my  infant  charms  !  I 
did  not  envy  my  fair  brothers  nor  care  for  the  pretty 
mimicries  in  which  they  took  their  parts  so  welcomely, 
but  I  did  love  the  jousts  I  sometimes  saw,  and  had 
decided  almost  with  my  earliest  thought,  that  I  would  be 
a  soldier.  So  I  was  pleased  rather  than  angered  at  this 
flippant  appraisal  of  my  parts,  since  I  had  heard  it  said 
by  Charles  the  Bold,  Duke  of  Burgundy,  when  once  he 
supped  at  our  castle  on  his  way  to  the  court  of  King  Rene, 
whose  kingdoms  were  as  visionary  as  the  songs  of  his 
romancers,  that  sound  legs  and  a  strong  back  were  the 
two  best  parts  of  a  soldier. 

Ah,  what  a  man  he  was  I     Short,  thick  neck,  wild,  bold 


40  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

eyes,  brown  hair  curling  back  upon  his  shoulders,  a 
swaggering  gait  as  if  his  legs  could  not  forget  the  saddle, 
a  jovial  voice,  and  a  mouth  full  of  laughter,  pleasant  jests, 
and  good-natured  oaths.  His  full  red  lips  seemed  ever 
at  play  behind  the  copse  of  his  great  drooping  mustachios. 
I  loved  him  from  the  very  moment  when,  placing  a  hand 
on  either  side  of  my  head,  he  lifted  me  up  as  if  I  had 
been  a  feather,  kissed  my  cheeks,  and  said  he  hoped  I 
would  be  as  stout  a  fighter  as  my  father  was,  than  whom, 
saints  rest  his  soul,  there  was  none  better.  He  called  my 
mother  cousin,  and  kissed  her  too,  at  parting,  when  she 
walked  with  him  to  the  castle  gate,  where  his  escort 
waited,  and  the  torches  shone  on  gay  doublets  and  bright 
armor — kissed  her  once  on  either  cheek,  as  seemly  as  a 
man  of  such  courtesy  and  honor  might,  while  she  cast 
down  her  eyes  in  decorous  recognition  of  his  favor. 
Then,  with  an  instant's  hesitation,  as  became  an  act  of 
so  grave  trespass,  he  smacked  her  boldly  on  the  lips,  and 
with  a  low,  bright  laugh,  sprung  into  the  saddle  and  rode 
away,  tossing  backward  many  a  pleasant  farewell  benison. 

Though  my  mother  started  and  quickly  raised  her  eyes, 
while  a  blush  leaped  up  over  cheek  and  brow,  I  do  not 
think  she  was  very  angry,  though  the  maids  giggled  and 
our  staid  retainers  had  hard  work  to  hide  their  smiles. 
Why  should  she  be  offended  ?  The  lips  of  Charles  the 
Bold  brought  never  any  dishonor,  and  what  woman 
would  not  feel  pleasure  at  such  tribute  to  her  charms 
from  so  knightly  a  monarch  ?  He  was  my  boy-ideal  of 
my  father,  and  ever,  after  that  night,  I  dreamed  of  the 
dear  saint  sinking  to  his  bloody  rest  as  careless  and  light- 
hearted  as  Burgundy  rode  away  with  that  stolen  kiss  upon 
his  lips.  God  and  His  saints  do  know,  I  often  wished 
my  dreaming  had  come  truer  !  I  do  not  think  I  would 
have  minded  the  flouts  of  such  a  man  or  cared  if  he  had 
held  and  kissed  my  sweet  mother  all  day  long. 

But  it  mattered  little  what  I  liked  or  liked  not.      My 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA.  41 

father  had  learned  to  command,  and  save  for  his  sovereign, 
knew  not  obedience  or  complaisance.  His  will  was  law 
wherever  he  had  right  to  speak.  So,  when  my  mother 
sought  to  win  his  favor  for  me,  he  would  only  shake  his 
head  and  say  : 

"  Tut,  tut,  sweet  wife.  The  lad  is  well  enough  in  his 
way,  but  he  is  ill-favored  for  the  court,  and  we  have  gal 
lants  enough  already  for  a  family  that  hath  no  dependence 


save  a  prince's  favor  and  God's  grace.  If,  perchance,  our 
kinsman,  the  Earl  of  Richmond,  should  sec  his  hope  to 
blossom  into  kingship,  as  well  it  may  in  these  troublous 
times,  we  will  get  back  our  own,  and  it  shall  go  hard  if 
we  get  not  also  a  slice  from  them  that  have  despoiled  us. 
Perchance,  before  the  day  of  action  comes,  our  boys  will 
have  grown  to  men  and  may  find  use  for  bright  blades, 
and  win  their  spurs  and  a  new  king's  favor  at  once.  God 


42  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

grant  it  be  the  end,  and  that  York  and  Lancaster  unite  or 
both  be  destroyed.  For  I  tell  you,  of  a  truth,  good  wife, 
our  realm  of  England  cannot  stand  many  more  such  years 
as  these  twenty  last  past.  If  there  be  a  few  more  such 
slaughters  as  Towton,  Hexham,  and  Tewkesbury,  it  mat 
ters  little  who  be  king,  since  some  spoiler  be  sure  to  come 
and  take  whatever  country  is  too  weak  to  hold  its  own. 

"It  were  not  well  to  have  too  many  soldiers  in  such 
times.  The  cowl  meaneth  safety  and  power  not  less  than 
the  sword.  So  we  will  give  the  two  elder  to  the  Prince  as 
soon  as  they  be  well  trained,  with  which  preparation  I 
shall  charge  myself  without  delay,  and  the  youngest  we 
will  give  to  Mother  Church,  that  his  prayers  may  bring 
fortune  to  his  brothers'  swords  and  one  be  left  to  care  for 
you  should  ill  befall  them  and  me." 

Thus  I  was  doomed  to  the  cloister,  who  was  formed  but 
to  fight,  and  at  the  best  could  scarce  master  prayers  enough 
to  serve  the  round  of  one  day's  duty.  I  hated  my  fate 
from  the  very  first,  though  I  came  to  be  grateful  for  it  in 
aftertime,  since  it  gave  me  the  chance  to  see  the  very 
birth  of  that  new  world  which,  in  our  day,  has  risen  out  of 
the  Sunset  Sea,  and  enabled  me  to  share  in  wilder  and 
stranger  adventures  than  any  lorclling  bred  to  arms  might 
hope  to  witness  in  our  English  realm  since  our  late  thrifty 
sovereign  Henry  VII.  and  his  scholastic  and  peace-loving 
son  have  sat  upon  the  throne. 

All  was  changed  at  the  castle  by  the  coming  of  my 
father.  The  poor  Queen,  who  could  not  bear  to  see  any  that 
she  knew  in  happier  days,  had  hid  herself  away  in  a  little 
house  upon  a  hillside  at  Dampierre,  with  one  faithful  at 
tendant  only,  and  the  Earl  of  Richmond  was  waiting  in 
Brittany  till  the  time  should  be  ripe  for  that  foray  which 
rolled  like  a  fateful  tide  over  Richard  at  Bosworth-field  and 
ended  the  War  of  Roses  for  good  and  all,  by  making  pos 
sible  that  union  with  King  Edward's  daughter,  which  came 
a  few  years  after. 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 


43 


In  the  mean  time  our  castle  became  a  camp  where 
the  adherents  of  the  new  claimant  rallied  and  the 
younger  and  more  inexperienced  were  trained  to  arms 
under  my  father's  eye.  My  brothers  Clarence  and 
Edward  were  haled  straightway  from  the  jousts  and  min 
strelsy  of  King  Rene's  court,  and  set  hard  at  work  with 
sword  and  lance  and  single-stick  to  learn  a  soldier's  duty. 
As  I  was  thought  too  young  to  begin  the  work  of  prepara 
tion  for  the  Church,  I  was  given  a  pony  and  a  share  in  the 
exercises  with  them.  When  the  time  of  preparation  was 


over,  though  scarce  a  dozen  years  old,  so  proficient  had  1 
grown,  and  so  stout  had  I  become,  that  I  was  allowed  to 
go  with  those  who  landed  at  Milford  Haven  and  saw,  if  I 
did  not  share,  the  short,  swift  war  which  ended  with 
bloody  Richard's  overthrow.  My  brothers  even  excelled 
expectation,  in  their  first  campaign,  and  were  straightway 
called  to  court,  where  they  remained,  while  I  journeyed 
unwillingly  with  my  parents  to  Edgemont,  now  enlarged  to 
a  demesne  worthy  of  my  father's  valor  and  steadfastness, 


44  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

by  the  addition  of  some  adjacent  lands  belonging  to  the 
vast  estates  of  the  dead  ' '  king-maker, "  Lord  Warwick, 
whose  widow,  whether  willingly  or  by  compulsion,  made 
over  more  than  a  thousand  knight's  holdings  he  had  be 
queathed  to  her,  to  the  new  king.  Fortunately,  it  was  not 
a  Lancastrian  victory,  though  Henry  was  of  the  stock  of 
John  of  Gaunt  by  his  mistress,  Catherine  Swynford ;  but 
the  blood  of  Catherine  of  France  and  Owen  Tudor  had  so 
weakened  the  Lancastrian  strain  that  it  lost  its  savageness, 
and  there  was  no  proscription  after  Earl  Richmond,  trans 
formed  into  Henry  VII.,  had  the  crown  safe  on  his  head 
and  Fdward's  pretty  daughter  to  wife.  Peace  reigned, 
and  my  father  settled  down  to  build  a  house  worthy  of  the 
baronial  estate  his  sword  had  won.  My  two  brothers 
were  soon  well  settled,  one  by  marriage  and  one  by  a 
commission  in  the  King's  Guards.  Fray  Lope  Mendez,  a 
Spanish  priest  from  Cordova,  who  had  been  one  of  the 
chaplains  of  our  good  Queen  Margaret,  and,  as  such,  an  in 
mate  of  the  castle  in  Aquitaine,  was  given  strict  injunction 
to  so  conduct  my  study  of  the  humanities  as  to  make  sure 
that  I  be  ready  for  holy  orders  when  my  twenty-first  year 
should  come. 

It  is  easy  to  order  a  boy's  future,  but  not  so  easy  to 
overcome  the  obstacles  which  youth  and  inclination  inter 
pose.  If  there  ever  was  a  lad  who  had  no  hint  of  bias  for 
a  holy  calling  it  was  I.  Even  if  there  had  been  such  in 
clination,  my  surroundings  were  such  as  might  suffice  to 
drive  prayer  and  service  from  any  healthy  mind.  Horses, 
dogs,  falcons,  and  the  salmon  leaping  in  the  pools  of  the 
Avon,  to  say  nothing  of  roystering  companions  and  tales 
of  adventure  in  the  taverns  of  the  port  of  Bristol,  ten  miles 
away,  were  enough  to  drive  heaven  itself  out  of  a  boy's 
thought  who  loved  nothing  so  well  as  a  dash  over  the  hills 
in  the  morning  at  the  hounds'  leading,  or  whipping  the 
dark  pools  with  a  stout  ash  in  the  evening.  Fray  Mendez 
was  both  wise  and  kind.  'He  did  not  mar  my  sports,  and, 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 


45 


as  a  reward  for  his  forbearance,  I  did  not  neglect  his  in 
struction.  In  truth,  he  loved  the  bay  of  a  hound  almost  as 
well  as  I,  and  in  all  Glosterthere  was  not  one  who  dropped 
a  lure  on  a  black  pool  so  gently  or  restrained  the  angry 
captive  with  so  delicate  a  touch  as  he.  His  foreign  birth 
made  him  fond  of  haunting  the  wharves  and  talking  with 
sea-faring  men,  gathering  knowledge  of  lands  known  and 
unknown,  but  more  especially,  I  think,  hoping  for  speech 
with  his  own  countrymen,  or  even  from  his  own  sea-side 
Andalusian  hamlet.  One  never  ceases  to  yearn  for  the 
land  of  his  nativity,  more  especially  a  Spaniard.  Why  he 
loves  it  he  does  not  care  to  ask  :  whether  another  loves  it 
or  not  matters  little  to  him.  He  was  a  welcome  guest  also, 
at  all  the  religious  houses  whose  rich  foundations  made  a 
belt  of  garden  and  orchard  half  about  the  city.  The  monk 
is  aye  partial  to  good  cheer,  and  both  the  apples  and  the 
cider  of  Gloster  were  found  at  their  best  in  the  cloisters  ; 
while  the  rich  and  doughty  city  gave  at  once  protection 
and  support.  FrayMendez  was  a  learned  man  as  wTell  as 
a  godly  one,  but  his  learning  was  not  all  of  books  nor  his 
godliness  bounded  by  his  breviary.  He  loved  brave  men 
and  stout  ones,  and  was  not  averse  to  a  pot  of  ale  and 
jolly  fellowship,  though  none  knew  better  the  proper  limits 
of  manly  mirth  or  could  reprove  more  effectually  the  ribald 
tongue.  So  I  became  a  scholard,  in  order  not  only  that  I 
might  have  the  good  Father  with  me  on  my  rambles,  but 
that  I  might  understand  and  appreciate  his  discourse.  And 
because  he  had  been  a  sailor  in  his  youth,  we  not  only 
sought  the  wharves  at'the  neighboring  port,  but  not  seldom 
embarked  with  its  mariners  for  short  voyages  on  river  and 
bay,  and  came  to  have  familiar  knowledge  of  its  most 
daring  and  expert  navigators. 

But  during  all  this  time,  my  father  moderated  not  one 
whit  of  his  purpose  that  I  should  be  dedicated  to  Mother 
Church,  nor  I  one  jot  of  my  determination  never  to  sing 
mass,  chant  an  office,  or  shed  my  hair  in  service  of  Mary 


46  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

Mother  or  the  holy  saints.  My  mother  knew  this,  and  so  did 
Father  Mendez.  The  former  hoped  I  might  relent,  the  lat 
ter  that  the  matter  might  be  delayed  until  my  father  could 
no  longer  oppose.  Neither  knew  that  I  had  determined 
not  to  wait  or  yield.  A  purpose  had  grown  up  in  my  mind 
which  frequent  association  with  the  men  who  had  seen 
many  countries  greatly  strengthened.  Of  all  the  fisher-folk 
on  Bristol  Bay,  there  was  not  one  who  pulled  a  better  oar 
or  could  hold  the  tiller  in  a  rougher  gale  than  the  broad- 
shouldered,  black-browed  son  of  Sir  Tudor  Lake  ;  where 
fore  I  thought  if  the  worst  came — but,  as  the  good  Fray 
always  said,  "The  worst  does  not  come. "  So  my  plans 
came  to  naught,  because  the  time  came  not  for  their 
fulfillment. 

Thus  I  hunted  the  wild  boar  in  the  valleys,  the  stag  upon 
the  verdant  wolds,  sailed,  fished,  studied,  and  was  happy, 
as  is  the  good  fortune  of  healthful  youth.  My  mother  was 
glad  because  I  was  happy,  and  my  father  was  content 
because  the  good  Padre  made  always  favorable  report  of 
my  progress,  and  the  clerks  and  men  of  wit  who  some 
times  partook  of  our  hospitality  praised  my  learning,  more 
from  politeness,  as  I  guess,  than  from  any  special  merit. 
Such  visitors  were  not  unusual  at  Edgemont,  for,  though 
it  lay  among  the  hills  away  from  any  of  the  great  founda 
tions  where  learning  doth  most  abide,  its  red  chimneys 
were  visible  from  the  highway  leading  Londonward  from 
the  great  port  of  Bristol,  whither  many  came  to  set  sail  for 
foreign  parts',  both  soldiers  seeking  service  in  foreign  wars, 
pilgrims,  and  pleasurers  of  an  adventurous  sort,  as  well  as 
merchants  bent  on  gain.  My  father,  besides  being  a  man 
of  note  in  the  county,  was  known  to  many  because  of  his 
long  service  at  court.  Besides  that,  he  kept  always  open 
house  for  any  that  might  bring  knowledge  of  the  world 
without  or  entertainment  for  those  within.  It  chanced, 
too,  that  Fray  Mendez  was  known  far  and  wide  among 
clerks  and  scholars,  not  only  as  a  godly  man,  but  as  one 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA.  47 

who  loved  learning  for  its  own  sake,  and  had  always  some 
what  to  give  in  exchange  for  aught  that  another  might  bring 
of  pleasant  converse  about  men  and  things. 

The  world  was  just  then  full  of  eager  souls  seeking  after 
new  things,  both  spiritual  and  temporal.  So  many  wars 
had  lately  been  concluded  ;  so  many  kings  had  learned 
the  new  lesson  that  a  fat  purse  is  stronger  than  a  keen 
sword  ;  so  many  great  nobles  had  been  destroyed  and  their 
power  and  followings  scattered,  that  there  were  many 
stout  swashbucklers  going  up  and  down  the  land  and 
adventuring  into  foreign  parts  where  they  could  hear  of 
wars  in  progress,  in  search,  not  of  great  deeds  alone,  but 
of  the  wherewithal  to  live  as  well ;  since  few  there  be  who 
having  once  borne  a  pike  care  to  go  back  and  wield  a  bill 
hook  or  guide  a  plow.  Many  of  these  passed  by  our  gate 
and  failed  not  to  stop,  bringing  news  of  all  that  was  abroad 
in  the  land  ;  how  the  King  favored  peace  and  commerce 
rather  than  strife  and  display  ;  and  hoarded  money  rather 
than  gathered  armies.  They  told,  moreover,  how  stiff  a 
hand  he  bore  with  the  nobles,  whether  friend  or  foe  ;  giv 
ing  charily  even  to  his  own  supporters,  but  taking  not  the 
less  freely  from  his  enemies,  and  enforcing  with  unex 
pected  rigor  the  statutes  against  "liveries, "  whereby  the 
followings  of  the  great  subjects  were  cut  down  and  the 
power  of  the  King  made  more  secure  from  interruption  by 
their  brawls  and  strife.  Nevertheless,  it  made  many  wan 
derers  and  idlers  of  those  who  had  aforetime  fed  at  great 
men's  tables. 

At  the  same  time  much  encouragement  was  given  unto 
commerce  with  foreign  parts,  and  all  the  ports  of  England 
were  full  of  crafts  laden  with  wares  for  other  countries  or 
even  seeking  unknown  lands,  so  that  all  was  bustle  and 
life.  Especially  was  this  true  of  our  neighbor  town  of 
Bristol,  whither  wool-combers  and  chandlers  had  come  in 
great  numbers  from  the  Netherlands,  who  did  bring  with 
them  the  arts  and  mysteries  of  their  various  callings,  mak- 


48  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

ing  soaps  and  candles  as  well  as  cloths  of  rare  excellence, 
for  sending  out  to  other  lands  ;  the  while  our  navigators 
ran  into  all  the  Northern  seas  for  fishes  which  they  did  salt 
and  dry  and  send  abroad,  especially  to  Spain  and  Portugal, 
where  they  be  ever  in  great  demand  among  the  people,  in 
exchange  for  wines  and  wool  of  finer  quality  than  groweth 
on  our  wolds. 

It  happened,  also,  that  at  this  time  the  world  was  in  a 
ferment  which  hath  since  begotten  many  wonders,  some 
good  and  some  of  such  character  as  may  not  yet  be  deter 
mined,  though  much  I  fear  they  bode  little  betterment  to 
realm  or  Church.  That  Lollardry  which  had  long  vexed 
our  land,  had,  indeed,  almost  passed  out  of  sight,  though 
there  were  still  some  of  the  people  and  a  few  of  the 
clergy  yet  affected  by  its  notions,  which,  indeed,  it  be  a 
great  pity  to  know  be  not  true,  since  they  seem  most  just 
and  welcome,  especially  to  them  that  be  poor  and  bowed 
down  with  burdens  and  toil.  Save  for  these  few,  Lol 
lardry  had  quite  disappeared,  except  for  one  thing  :  the 
art  of  printing  had  made  many  books,  and  many  transla 
tions  of  the  holy  Scriptures  into  the  vulgar  tongue  had 
become  scattered  through  the  land,  so  that  not  a  few  of 
the  common  people  thought  themselves  as  wise,  especially 
so  far  as  concerned  the  things  of  God,  as  the  most  learned 
clerks.  Because  of  this  and  the  many  other  books  which 
at  this  time  began  to  be  printed,  knowledge  even  in  the 
ancient  tongues  became  so  accessible  that  for  a  few  shil 
lings  one  might  buy  the  works  of  the  most  learned  writers 
which  hitherto  only  the  very  richest  of  princes  and  nobles 
might  possess,  and  which  the  fathers  of  the  Church  had 
long  treasured  in  their  convents  as  the  most  priceless  of 
possessions,  to  be  read  only  by  the  wisest  and  most 
learned  of  their  orders. 

Father  Mendcz  thought  that  good  must  come  of  this 
cheapening  of  knowledge,  but  my  father  shook  his  head 
and  declared  that  when  the  common  people  knew  their 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA.  49 

prayers  it  was  enough,  and,  even  for  soldiers  and  knights, 
very  little  clerkly  skill  would  suffice  them.  For  himself, 
he  said,  he  had  found  it  always  easier  to  make  his  mark 
with  his  sword  than  with  a  pen  ;  though  he  was  able  to 
decipher  an  easy  scrawl,  and  even  a  few  Latin  words,  he 
seldom  attempted  to  write  more  than  his  signature,  which 
he  made  with  so  many  flourishes  that  only  those  who  had 
special  knowledge  of  his  intent  were  ever  likely  to  be 
greatly  benefited  thereby. 

Sir  John  Fortescue,  who  was  once  in  a  while  a  guest 
at  Edgemont,  being  of  kin  through  the  marriage  of  my 
brother  Clarence  to  one  of  his  daughters,  though  him 
self  one  of  the  most  learned  men  who  had  some  time 
been  Lord  Keeper  of  the  Seal,  agreed  with  my  father 
in  this,  and  declared  that  when  all  became  learned  there 
would  be  no  use  for  lawyers,  priests  or  soldiers,  whereby 
society  and  government,  as  well  as  religion,  would  soon 
be  at  an  end  ;  since,  as  he  was  wont  to  say,  "where 
all  be  equal  in  knowledge,  all  will  soon  be  equal  in 
power,  and  none  be  willing  to  serve,  since  none  will 
be  able  to  command  obedience."  Truly,  it  doth  seem 
that  the  noble  Lord  Keeper  had  reason  for  his  opinion, 
and  what  hath  since  occurred  in  many  ways  seems  to 
give  strength  thereto  ;  for  it  hath  of  late  gone  so  far  that 
Holy  Church  has  been  stripped  of  temporal  power  in  this 
goodly  realm,  and  there  be  many  who  do  aver  that  her 
spiritual  dominion  must  soon  follow. 

It  happened  by  chance,  also,  that  there  were  at  this 
time,  through  the  multitude  of  books  that  were  printed 
concerning  strange  adventures  of  travelers  and  navigators, 
many  who  believed  in  the  existence  of  lands  yet  undis 
covered,  which  some  claimed  to  be  not  less  in  extent  than 
all  the  known  world.  Much  of  this  came  through  the 
action  of  Prince  Henry  of  Portugal,  surnamed  "The 
Navigator,"  who  was  not  only  half  an  Englishman,  but 
held  in  especial  honor  by  the  House  of  Lancaster,  since 

4 


5° 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 


his  mother,  Philippa,  was  the  daughter  of  Duke  John  of 
Gaunt,  from  whom  all  of  that  ilk  be  derived,  and  that  by 
lawful  marriage,  too  ;  so  that,  as  far  as  inheritance  goeth, 
her  children  were  better  entitled  to  sit  upon  the  throne  of 
England  than  any  others  of  his  blood. 

It  is  small  wonder,  therefore,  that  the  fame  of  Prince 
Henry,  who  had  charge  of  such  affairs  for  that  kingdom, 
both  during  his  father's  reign  and  under  his  brother,  who 
succeeded,  and  the  wonderful  discoveries  of  the  captains 
whom  he  had  taught  the  arts  of  navigation  and  geography, 
should  have  attracted  the  attention  of  our  British  mariners. 
These  discoveries  were  not  only  wonderful,  but  was 
said  to  have  been  made  by  means  of  sea-books  which 
Prince  Henry,  by  aid  of  necromancy  and  other  mystic 
arts,  had  drawn  up  and  prepared  in  his  lonely  tower  on 
the  promontory  of  Sagres  in  Algarve,  where  he  sat  and 
watched  by  day  for  the  white  sails  of  the  ships  he  sent 
out  to  explore  and  conquer  the  coast  of  Africa,  and  by 
night  to  study  the  movement  of  the  planets  and  gather 
astrologic  lore.  It  was  said  that  in  these  seabooks  were 
accurately  laid  down  the  forms  of  coasts  and  islands  which 
no  Christian  eye  had  ever  beheld,  with  their  courses  and 
distances  from  each  other,  so  that  one  sailing  either  by 
the  compass  or  by  the  sun  and  stars,  could  not  well  fail 
of  discovering  new  lands  and  bringing  back  stores  of  gold, 
ivory,  and  wax,  whereby  the  realm  of  Portugal  and  the 
captains  and  mariners,  as  well  as  the  Order  of  Christ,  of 
which  Prince  Henry  was  the  Grand  Master,  were  greatly 
enriched  and  the  fame  of  their  doings  spread  abroad 
through  the  whole  world. 

Two  things  especially  kept  alive  the  spirit  of  adventure, 
even  after  the  death  of  good  Prince  Henry,  and  despite 
the  fact  that  Dom  Joao,  to  whose  realm  accrued  all  the 
advantages  of  these  discoveries,  was  hardly  less  penurious 
and  almost  as  pig-headed  as  our  own  late  King  Henry  VII. , 
who  then  bore  sway  in  our  green  island.  The  first  of 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 


51 


these  was  that  his  ships  had  passed  Cape  Non,  beyond 
which  none  had  ever  gone  before,  had  found  the  Madeira 
Islands,  and  proved  that  ships  could  go  into  the  steaming 
sea  that  washes  the  shores  of  Gambier  and  the  Gold  Coast, 
without  being  destroyed.  This  had  all  the  more  effect 
upon  our  Bristol  navigators  because  the  captain  who  first 
did  this  thing,  sailing  away  into  the  burning  zone  and 
coming  back  unharmed,  was  one  Giles  Jones,  whom  the 
Portuguese  name  "Gil  Eannes, "  a  sailor  of  Swansea,  who 
had  studied  navigation  and  geography  under  Prince  Henry 
and  was  given  command  of  this  expedition  because  he  had 
no  more  fear  of  man  or  devils  than  Prince  Henry  himself, 
though  belike  he  may  have  had  less  knowledge  of  the 
latter  than  the  great  astrologer,  who  is  said  to  have  gotten 
many  of  his  darkest  secrets  from  the  Moors,  whom  he 
conquered  in  battle,  one  of  whom  remained  with  him  ever 
after  until  his  death,  and  was  the  chiefest  of  his  astron 
omers  and  cartographers,  as  I  have  heard. 

Now,  no  sooner  had  Giles  Jones  returned,  covered  with  tan 
and  honors,  and  having  much  wealth,  from  having  rounded 
Cape  Non  and  sailed  two  hundred  miles  down  the  coast 
of  Guinea,  than  he  must  needs  come  back  in  one  of  the  King 
of  Portugal's  own  ships,  so  greatly  was  he  honored,  to  find 
a  lass  living  over  beyond  Severn,  about  Cow  Bridge,  to 
whom  he  had  been  betrothed  before  he  entered  the  Prince's 
service  and  whom  for  a  wonder  he  found  still  unwed,  and, 
marrying  her,  sailed  away  to  the  Dom's  dominions,  where 
he  lived  and  died  in  great  honor.  So  the  story  runs  ;  and 
as  the  girl  he  married  was  of  remote  kin  both  to  the  Leake 
and  Tudor  families,  I  have  heard  it  oft  and  have  good 
reason  to  believe  it  true.  Indee.d,  my  father  hath  often 
told  me  that  his  father  danced  at  the  wedding  of  the 
lucky  Giles  Jones  himself.  From  that  time  on,  the  more 
daring  of  our  sailors  dreamed  of  nothing  better  than  tak 
ing  service  under  the  King  of  Portugal,  so  much  so  that 
our  British  masters  were  very  chary  whom  they  shipped 


52  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

on  voyages  to  Lisbon  and  Oporto,  lest  they  be  left  short- 
handed  by  desertion  in  those  ports. 

Another  thing  which  kept  Prince  Henry's  discoveries 
alive  in  the  minds  of  all,  besides  the  great  wealth  which 
had  so  soon  raised  Portugal  from  insignificance  to  the  very 
front  rank  of  national  importance,  was  the  fact  which  all 
the  world  knew,  that  Prince  Henry  did  openly  declare  and 
expect  that  he  would  reach  India  by  sailing  southward 
along  the  coast  of  Africa.  Because  of  this,  he  secured  from 
the  Holy  Father  a  dispensation,  giving  unto  the  kingdom 
of  Portugal  the  sole  right  to  take  possession  of  and  trade 
with  all  the  lands  that  might  be  found  by  voyaging  in  this 
direction.  Perhaps  this  very  fact  that  all  the  unknown 
world  which  lay  to  the  eastward  of  the  meridian  of  the 
Azores  was  already  granted  unto  Portugal,  set  those  mari 
ners  who  were  not  in  the  service  of  Dom  Joao  to  dream 
ing  of  what  might  lie  in  some  other  quarter,  guessing  that 
if  there  were  new  lands  toward  the  east,  there  might  be 
no  less  valuable  discoveries  waiting  to  be  made  tinder  the 
setting  sun.  For  this  reason,  more  than  one  of  our  mari 
ners  who  sailed  from  Bristol  to  Frlande  and  Thule,  now 
and  then  ventured  somewhat  into  the  open  beyond,  in 
hope  that  they  might  run  their  prows  on  some  island 
before  unknown. 

Thus  it  will  be  seen  that  all  mankind  were  agog  for 
something  new  and  strange,  and  many  there  were  who 
foretold  the  end  of  the  world  to  be  at  hand,  because  of  the 
wonders  that  were  being  wrought.  For  even  then  cross 
bows  and  armor  were  being  cast  aside,  because  arque 
buses  were  growing  so  common,  and  castles  were  little 
esteemed  because  no  walls  can  be  made  to  withstand  the 
stones  and  bolts  fired  from  cannon,  since  gunpowder, 
which  Friar  Bacon,  with  the  help  of  the  Evil  One,  had 
devised  to  make  war  more  terrible  than  it  was  before,  had 
grown  so  common.  In  the  which,  we  see  how  the  Lord's 
mercy  overruleth  the  Devil's  spite,  for  what  was  intended 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA.  53 

to  destroy  men's  souls  hath  become  an  instrument  of  sal 
vation  rather,  since  it  hath  so  enhanced  the  risk  and  cer 
tainty  of  death  that  men  have  chosen  to  submit  to  that 
which  they  do  not  like  rather  than  incur  the  added  perils 
of  life  and  limb  which  now  attend  upon  such  strife.  And 
this  is  counted  by  wise  clerks  a  certain  proof  that  God  and 
His  Virgin  Mother  do  keep  watch  over  His  children  and 
save  them  from  Satan's  wiles,  even  in  ways  they  know 
not  of.  This,  at  least,  was  the  doctrine  of  Fray  Mendez, 
who,  to  my  thinking,  knew  more  of  God's  will  to-us-ward 
than  any  priest  or  pontiff  of  them  all  ;  though  I  will  ad 
mit  that  I  am  but  a  poor  judge  of  this  sort  of  thing,  since 
my  life  has  afforded  scant  time  for  contemplation,  and  I 
have  not  been  so  much  given  to  good  works  nor  yet 
so  faithful  in  my  prayers,  as  to  have  reason  to  expect  divine 
help  in  understanding  them. 

While,  therefore,  men  wondered  and  disputed  much 
over  strange  things,  and  especially  whether  there  were 
lands  of  which  the  ancients  knew  not  and  which  no  eyes 
had  yet  beheld,  save  those  of  black  heathen  who  knew  no 
more  of  us  than  we  of  them  ;  and  whether  the  world  were 
flat,  as  the  great  part  of  ancient  learning  teacheth,  or 
whether,  if  round,  he  that  saileth  down  the  side  would  be 
able  to  return  up  it ;  and  whether  the  under-world,  if  one 
there  were,  be  inhabited  by  men  and  women,  or  only  by 
hobgoblins  and  monsters,  that  happened  which  some  fore 
told  and  others  denied,  in  the  most  unexpected  of  all 
ways  ;  and  by  the  same  token,  I  was  led  by  a  chain  of  hap 
penings  not  less  strange,  to  witness  with  my  own  eyes  this 
wonder  of  all  the  ages,  whereof  I  herewith  testify. 


CHAPTER  •  *  • 


chanced  one  day  during  this  time, 
that  I  was  walking  on  the  quay  of 
Bristol  town,  along  with  Father  Mcn- 
dcx,  who  was  discoursing  of  the  mar 
velous  tales  of  some  sailors  who  had 
late  returned  from  Thule,  which  lieth 
to  the  northward  and  westward  of 
Erlande,  as  they  did  claim,  whither 
they  had  sailed  for  the  purpose  of 
taking  fish,  which  be  very  abundant 
in  those  parts,  and  of  most  excel 
lent  quality.  But  the  most  strange  thing  they  did  tell, 
and  which  the  good  Fray  believed,  although  it  seemed 
quite  incredible  to  me,  was  of  great  mountains  of  ice 
floating  about  in  the  sea,  of  such  height  that  they  far 
overtopped  the  masts  of  the  largest  vessels,  and  in  bulk 
so  great  that  when  two  of  them,  evidently  moved  by 
malign  demons,  sought  to  close  in  upon  their  craft,  it  was 
only  with  extreme  difficulty  and  many  prayers  to  Mary 
Mother  and  the  saints,  with  vows  which  did  consume  a 
great  part  of  their  lading  to  fulfill,  that  they  escaped  being 
ground  to  powder.  As  it  was,  their  bowsprit,  which  was 
caught  between  the  bergs,  was  broken  into  fine  splinters 
when  they  met  with  a  roar  louder  than  a  hundred  bom 
bards,  shattering  their  own  sides  and  throwing  great 
blocks  of  blue-white  ice  upon  the  deck  and  far  out  into 
the  sea,  to  the  great  terror  of  all  the  mariners,  who  were 
saved  by  God's  grace  alone. 

Thereupon,  one  of  the  demons,  being  greatly  enraged 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 


55 


because  the  ship  had  escaped,  did  overturn  the  mountain 
on  the  larboard  side,  which,  toppling  over  backward,  did 
rise  up  under  the  keel  of  the  vessel,  lifting  it  high  into  the 
air,  whereupon  all  gave  themselves  up  for  lost  and  shut 
their  eyes — all  but  one,  that  is,  for  Johan  Grossteste,  who 
was  the  son  of  a  yeoman  who  dwelt  on  our  estate  of 
Edgemont,  who  had  taken  to  the  sea  because  his  father's 
hand  had  of  late  years  grown  uncomfortably  heavy,  be 
ing  determined  not  to  give  up  the  ghost  while  any  chance 
to  live  remained,  jumped  from  the  ship's  deck  upon  the 
crystal  mountain  as  it  lay  heeled  far  over,  and  when  he 
saw  that  the  ship  hung  on  a  sharp  edge,  all  a-trembling 
and  a-teeter  beside  him  where  he  stood,  he  put  his  hand 
against  it  and  pushed,  whereon  it  slid  down  the  glassy 
side  and  plunged  bow  on  into  the  boiling  sea  ! 

Luckily,  the  ship  was  of  stout  English  make,  with  a 
keel  cut  out  of  an  oak  with  a  natural  crook  for  the  prow, 
in  the  saw-pits  of  the  royal  forest  on  the  other  side  of 
Severn,  and  though  she  went  under  so  that  only  her  tiller 
stuck  out  of  the  water,  she  came  up  and  righted  herself 
like  a  duck,  full  of  water  as  she  was.  Then  Johan  Gross 
teste  followed  in  her  wake  down  the  side  of  the  berg  and 
clambered  on  board  by  some  of  the  fore-rigging  that  hung 
over  the  side,  thus  escaping  the  monsters  that  swarmed 
about  in  the  foaming  sea  ;  for  her  crew  were  so  nearly 
dead  with  fright  and  drowning  that  they  would  never 
have  heard  him,  howsoever  loud  he  might  have  called. 
However,  they  got  their  wits  together,  bailed  out  the  salt 
water,  and  two  months  afterward  set  sail  for  home  with 
the  finest  catch  of  stock-fish  ever  carried  in  a  Bristol  bot 
tom,  so  it  was  said. 

This  was  the  story  as  Johan  Grossteste  told  it,  and  made 
affidavit  thereto,  before  the  worshipful  Mr.  Channing  at 
the  Market  Hall,  along  with  his  shipmates,  including  the 
master. 

"Why  it  is,   my  son,"  said  Fray  Mendez,    "that  the 


56  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

North  is  the  region  of  hyperborean  cold  and  darkness,  no 
man  for  a  certainty  knoweth,  any  more  than  one  knoweth 
why  heat  cometh  out  of  the  South  or  light  out  of  the  East. 
Of  this,  indeed,  we  are  now  certified,  though  it  was  not 
until  Portuguese  Prince  Henry  sent  his  navigators  along 
the  coast  of  Africa  until  the  sun  threw  its  shadows  south 
ward  at  midday,  that  we  knew  of  a  surety  there  was  not 
a  boiling  gulf  in  which  the  South  Sea  ended.  Now,  we 
have  reason  to  believe  that  the  heat  grows  less  as  one 
goes  southward  from  the  line  of  vertical  impact  of  the 
sun's  rays  until,  perchance,  there  be  another  hyperborean 
beyond.  This  would  not  seem  so  strange — at  least  we 
might  see  harmony  if  not  reason  in  the  matter — if  we 
could  know  that,  as  some  believe,  the  earth  is  a  sphere 
with  great  loadstones  at  either  end  which  attract  the 
magnet,  and  by  their  power  create  the  cold  which  there 
rules,  and  which  the  sun  is  in  part  able  to  overcome  in 
the  region  midway  between,  which  lies  so  much  nearer 
his  glowing  fires." 

"So,  so,  good  Father,"  said  a  voice  behind  us,  "you 
are  teaching-  your  pupil  the  lore  of  the  geographer,  or 
mine  ears  deceive  me.  I  bid  you  beware.  In  these 
times,  when  dreams  are  so  apt  to  come  true,  it  is  danger 
ous  to  the  peace  of  Mother  Church  to  put  such  notions  in 
the  head  of  one  pre-fated  to  her  service.  You  should  re 
member  that  the  young  Master  Lake  hath  a  brave  heart, 
a  stout  arm,  and  a  quick  fancy,  and  should  he  ever  learn 
to  use  the  compass  and  unravel  the  mysteries  of  a  sea- 
book,  my  word  for  it,  the  Church  may  lose  a  brave  serv 
ant,  if  once  he  g-ets  a  tiller  in  his  hand  and  feels  the  deck 
sway  beneath  his  feet  with  the  sea's  wooing,  while  the 
wind  sings  a  lullaby  in  the  shrouds  outside  the  Head." 

"  You  are  a  poet,  Seignor  Capitano,  as  well  as  a  mari 
ner,"  replied  Father  Mendez,  returning  the  other's  greet 
ing  with  a  smiling  salutation. 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 


57 


"Aye,  and  a  merchant,  too,"  answered  the  other  with 
a  shrug-,  "and  withal  poor,  as  sailors  and  poets  always 
are,  and  as  merchants  ought  not  to  be,  which  shows  that 
one  may  be  a  fair  navigator  and  a  brave  poet  and  yet  a  bad 
merchant.  But  one  must  market  the  wares  his  ships  bring 
into  port  himself,  if  he  would  make  buckle  and  tongue 
meet  at  Michaelmastide,  in  this  land  of  fog  and  caution. 
Beshrew  me,  if  ever  I  saw  such  people  !  Here  I  have 
three  cargoes  of  baccallos,  running  from  four  stone  down 
to  as  many  pounds,  every  one  of  them  as  sweet  as  June 
posies,  with  meat  as  clear  and  firm  as  crystal,  sometimes 
a  span  thick,  too,  and  here  I  must  sit  and  dole  them  out 
by  weight  and  number,  while  Bastien  goes  back  for  a 
new  cargo  before  the  winter  storms  set  in." 

"  I  should  think  you  would  be  glad  to  stay  ashore  after 
so  many  voyages,"  said  the  Padre. 

"  Well,  it  is  not  so  bad,  for  the  matter  of  a  few  days  or 
a  week  or  two  ;  but  after  that,  St.  Jacabo  !  but  it  grows 
tedious  !  The  fog  gets  into  my  nose,  the  mud  sticks  to 
my  shoes,  and  I  long  for  the  sway  of  the  deck  beneath 
my  feet.  Every  one  to  his  trade,  Father  ;  I  am  accounted 
a  good  manner,  but  a  most  poor  merchant,  since  I  like 
not  to  change  a  ha'penny  or  slice  a  hake  to  fit  a  misers 
fastday  dinner.  I  love  the  sea,  and  would  be  always 
afloat,  with  only  a  fling  ashore  now  and  then  in  fine 
weather ;  but  in  this  world  what  beggar  may  choose  his 
lot?  Your  blessing,  Father." 

The  speaker  took  off  his  jaunty  cap  and  bowed  his 
head,  covered  thick  with  curling  hair  with  only  here  and 
there  a  white  thread,  for  the  priest's  benison. 

"Ah,  Capitano,  thou  bringest  the  South  and  the  sun 
shine  with  thee,"  said  the  Father  with  a  sigh  touching  the 
bowed  head  lightly.  "May  God  and  His  good  saints 
protect  thee  by  sea  and  shore.  How  chanced  it  that  the 
cold  of  Thule,  which  I  am  told  congealed  even  the  had- 


58  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

dock  in  thy  vessel's  hold,  did  not  stiffen  thy  tongue  nor 
leave  its  frost-mark  on  thy  brow  ?  " 

"Ye  give  me  too  much  credit,  good  Father.  It  was 
not  my  ship  that  was  driven  out  of  her  course  and  made 
such  close  acquaintances  with  the  icy  'bergs/  as  they 
call  those  floating  monsters  in  Erlande,  but  the  smallest 
of  her  consorts,  commanded  by  my  son  Sanctus,  who  is 
the  dunderhead  of  our  family,  albeit  he  has  espoused  the 
daughter  of  the  worshipful  Master  Channing,  the  Magis 
trate,  and  hath  his  head  full  of  forming  a  company,  with 
the  King's  leave  and  favor,  to  discover  new  lands.  He  is 
brave  enough  and  adventurous  to  a  fault,  but,  though  he 
hath  had  every  opportunity,  he  is  still  a  mariner  with  ill- 
luck,  which  means  always  a  poor  mariner.  We  all  laugh 
at  him,  and  my  Sebastian  hath  declared  that  Sanctus  might 
not  safely  navigate  a  mill-pond  at  low  tide.  Yet  he 
cometh  out  of  all  his  scrapes  well,  and  even  maketh 
honor  by  his  mishaps.  This  day  he  is  the  hero  of  all  the 
port  and  drinketh  wine  at  every  one's  expense,  because, 
forsooth,  he  must  go  near  to  a  pair  of  those  floating 
mountains,  wherein  the  black  gnomes  do  dwell,  and  only 
by  the  closest  chance  saved  either  his  vessel  or  her  crew." 

"  How  came  he  to  be  alone  ?  "  asked  the  priest. 

"It  was  this  way,  Padre.  I  had  left  Bastien  and  his 
brother  on  the  shore  of  Thule  to  split  and  cure  the  fish, 
for  we  had  been  so  fortunate  as  to  take  in  a  month's  time 
enough  to  load  us  all  to  the  gunnels,  while  I  went  to  fol 
low  the  baccallos  which  seemed  to  be  headed  westward, 
knowing  that  where  they  went  must  be  land,  for  only  in 
shore  shall  ever  be  found  enough  small  fishes  for  so  many 
as  there  are  of  them,  to  eat.  After  a  time,  Sanctus  quar 
reled  with  his  brother,  and  must  needs  set  out  after  ad 
venture  by  himself ;  and  this  which  you  have  heard,  is 
what  befell  him  for  his  folly.  However,  he  kept  his  reck 
oning,  and,  the  wind  favoring,  not  many  days  after  he 
returned  to  the  harbor  where  we  lay  awaiting  him,  and 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA.  59 

where  we  were  delayed  for  many  days,  rigging-  a  new 
bowsprit  for  his  ship.  Fit  timber  is  very  scarce  in  that 
country,  and  a  proper  stick  had  to  be  sought  far  inland, 
and  hewn  and  carried  to  the  shore  with  much  labor." 

"It  is  truly  a  wonderful  tale  he  and  his  mariners  tell." 

"  So,  in  faith,  it  is,  which  is  the  reason  I  have  had  it  put 
on  record  in  the  town  register  and  had  it  witnessed  by  the 
corporal  oath  of  all  his  men,  for  the  honor  of  the  town 
and  of  British  mariners." 

"Do  you  believe  all  they  tell  ?  "  I  asked,  curiously. 

"Wherefore  should  I  doubt  ?  I  have  taught  my  son  to 
tell  the  truth,  and,  though  he  is  not  so  grave,  nor  so  good 
a  navigator,  as  Bastien,  which,  indeed,  there  be  not  many 
who  are,  I  know  not  otherwise  how  he  could  have  broken 
his  bowsprit  in  the  open  sea  and  not  a  bolt  started  or  a 
sail  torn  otherwheres,  or  why  he  should  not  tell  the  story 
of  his  mishap  truly. " 

"I  did  not  mean  to  question  his  veracity  ;  but  might 
there  not  be  some  mistake?"  I  rejoined.  "These  are 
very  strange  things." 

"The  sea  is  full  of  wonders,  young  sir.  My  Bastien 
says  you  are  a  stout-hearted  sailor,  and  even  priests  have 
sometimes  to  witness  marvels  in  the  uttermost  parts  of 
the  earth.  Perhaps  you  may  yet  behold  things  that  now 
seem  beyond  belief.  Mine  own  eyes  have  seen  these  icy 
mountains  with  the  demons  who  dwell  thereon — great 
shaggy  monsters  with  faces  like  men  and  lips  that  cry 
out  like  a  drowning  woman,  to  lure  poor  mariners  to  de 
struction.  " 

"  Do  you  think  they  manage  these  icy  floats,  and  pur 
posely  intended  to  crush  and  destroy  your  son's  ship  ?  " 

"That,  indeed,  I  cannot  tell,  since  no  man  knoweth  the 
secrets  of  the  deep,  nor  ever  will,  until  it  be  commanded 
to  give  up  its  dead.  What  I  do  know  is  that  strange 
gnomes  inhabit  these  icy  peaks  and  roar  with  anger 
when  any  ship  approacheth,  Whether  they  navigate 


6o 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 


them  or  not  I  do  not  know,  but  it  seems  not  unlikely 
they  have  power  to  injure  those  who  do  unwarily  intrude 
upon  their  pleasance.  They  are,  indeed,  most  strange 
creatures  with  heads  of  men  and  beards,  having  also 
teeth  an  ell-long  by  which  they  fasten  themselves  to 

the  ice  so  that  the 
fiercest  storms  serve 
not  to  loose  their 
hold.  Whether  they 
be  brutes  or  monsters 
I  know  not,  counting 
the  knowledge  not 
worth  the  risk  of 
obtaining.  But  I 
must  on,  kind  sirs, 
for  I  have  given  a 
pledge  about  this 
hour  to  wait  upon 
Master  Flemming, 
concerning  a  peti 
tion  to  the  King  in 
the  matter  of  seek 
ing  passage  this  way 
to  Ind,  which  my 
sons  have  charged 
me  to  pursue,  not 
less  for  their  sakes 
than  mine  own." 
"God  bring  you  favor  and  success,"  said  the  Father. 
"Thanks,  good  Padre.  From  all  I  hear,  it  needeth  no 
less  prayer  to  open  the  King's  heart,  and  more  especially 
his  purse,  than  the  gate  of  heaven  whence  fortune  cometh 
unto  all." 

"  Patience,  noble  Capitano  ;  good  cometh  only  to  him 
that  hath  strength  to  wait. " 

"After  the  white  shows  in  a  man's  beard,"  answered 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA.  6l 

the  other,  with  a  gesture  toward  the  glossy  point  which  so 
becomingly  decked  his  chin,  ' '  he  hath  little  time  to  wait. 
By  the  way,  Padre,  there  is  a  countryman  of  yours  lying 
ill  at  Master  Flemming's,  who,  I  doubt  not,  would  like 
speech  with  you.  I  have  not  seen  him,  but  Master 
Hemming,  tells  me  he  is  likely  to  slip  his  cable  for  a 
longer  voyage  than  any  of  us  care  to  undertake." 

"  Tut,  tut,  my  son  ;  be  not  irreverent,"  said  the  Father, 
touching  his  beads  and  breathing  a  pater. 

"  I  meant  no  irreverence,  your  worship,  but  sailors  must 
speak  in  the  language  of  the  sea  or  they  would  find  it  hard 
to  understand  themselves." 

"Is  he  a  mariner?  "  I  asked. 

"  I  take  it  that  he  is,  from  his  having  found  lodgment 
with  Master  Flemming,"  was  the  answer. 

"  Did  you  learn  his  name  ?  " 

"  Only  that  he  is  a  stranger — some  one  said  a  Spaniard." 

' '  With  your  leave  we  will  walk  thither  with  you, "  said 
Father  Mendez.  "  I  would  have  speech  with  Master 
Flemming,  and  if  the  stranger  need  ministration,  the  voice 
of  a  countryman  will  be  welcome." 

So  we  strolled  on  together  toward  Master  Flemming's 
warehouse,  which  was  on  the  inner  harbor  by  the  water 
side,  very  convenient  for  lading  and  unlading,  for  the 
owner  was  one  of  the  chief  merchants  of  the  town. 

This  man,  whom  every  one  counted  it  a  pleasure  to  meet, 
for  all  he,  seemed  so  much  like  a  light-hearted  fop,  with  his 
bright  face,  peaked  beard,  jaunty  velvet  cap,  gay  doublet 
and  striped  hose  which  showed  well-rounded,  supple  legs, 
was  yet  one  of  the  most  famous  navigators  of  that  time, 
and  the  father  of  another  fated  to  achieve  even  greater 
renown.  He  was  not  only  learned  in  cosmography  and 
navigation,  but  had  that  art,  the  lack  of  which  in  his  son 
Sanctus  he  had  bewailed,  which  bringeth  fortune  to  the 
mariner.  He  was  a  sailor  by  instinct,  who  knew  the  sea 
and  loved  it.  He  was  a  scholar,  too,  in  his  own  way, 


62  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

which  was  not  so  bad  a  way,  either.  Padre  Mende2 
was  wont  to  call  him  a  self-educated  man,  who  should, 
he  declared,  be  better  educated  than  any  other  by  reason 
of  the  fact  that  he  hath  a  more  faithful  master.  He  had 
the  great  advantage  of  knowing  what  he  desired  to  learn, 
and  had  not  hesitated  to  seek  for  truth,  not  so  much  from 
those  who  claim  a  monopoly  of  it  in  the  schools,  as  from 
those  who  had  learned  by  observation  and  experience. 
Navigation  and  cartography  he  had  studied  with  the  best 
masters,  those  who  learn  the  channels  and  the  winds  by 
service  at  the  tiller  and  note  the  forms  of  capes  and  prom 
ontories,  while  righting  with  wind  and  wave  for  life. 
He  kept  a  cool  head,  a  light  hand,  and  a  merry  heart,  and 
had  made  his  eyes  his  schoolmaster  in  every  land,  from 
Mecca,  the  blessed,  upon  the  east ;  Cape  Non,  the  terrible, 
upon  the  south,  to  Thule,  the  desolate,  upon  the  north 
and  west  ;  though  he  had  sailed  far  beyond  this  limit  in 
search  of  the  Vinland  of  which  the  Erlanders  sang  in  their 
ancient  books  of  the  sea-kings.  Withal,  he  was  a  modest, 
though  a  thoughtful  man,  who  added  to  what  he  had 
learned  of  others  a  rich  store  of  knowledge  gleaned  from 
experience,  and,  though  pertinacious  of  his  own  opinions, 
was  little  inclined  to  intrude  them  upon  others,  or  decry 
those  who  might  hold  contrary  views. 

His  sons  were  bred  to  a  sea-faring  life  under  their  father's 
eye,  and  taught  all  that  he  knew  ;  wherefore  they,  too, 
became  accomplished  navigators,  save  Sanctus,  who  was 
born  a  trafficker,  though  fond  enough  of  adventure.  Thus 
it  came  about  that  they  were  always  in  demand  by  care 
ful  and  thrifty  merchants  as  captains  of  their  crafts  that 
sailed  to  foreign  ports.  Of  these,  that  Sebastian,  who  is 
now  chief  pilot  of  the  King  of  Spain,  and  has  always  been 
my  friend,  became  most  famous,  though  Sanctus,  by 
reason  of  his  thrift  and  enterprise  as  a  merchant,  is  most 
wealthy  ;  for,  as  junior  partner  of  the  house  of  dv.rm  ^ 
&  Co.,  he  hath  repaid  the  favor  which  gave  him  in  marriv  > 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA.  63 

the  daughter  of  the  merchant  already  rich,  by  many  times 
doubling  the  wealth  of  his  father-in-law  and  patron. 

Signor  Johan  Caboto  and  his  sons  at  that  time  were 
among  the  most  honored  citizens  of  the  good  town  of 
Bristol,  in  return  for  the  favor  of  whose  people  they  brought 
it  both  wealth  and  renown.  I  speak  of  him  thus  in  con 
nection  with  his  sons,  because  from  my  earliest  knowledge, 
they  were  almost  inseparable.  When  young  they  sailed 
with  him,  and,  when  older  grown,  they  became  his  lieu 
tenants  and  associates.  When  the  watchers  at  the  Head 
saw  the  flag  of  one  of  the  Cabotos  they  knew  the  others 
were  not  far  off.  If  one  staid  ashore  while  the  others  went 
of  a  voyage,  he  was  restless  and  miserable  until  their  return. 

Of  this  company  of  kindred  spirits  it  was  hard  to  tell, 
sometimes,  which  was  the  elder  and  who  the  younger, 
since  the  father  was  often  the  merrier  and  the  sons  as 
earnest  and  grave  as  if  weighted  with  the  father's  most 
serious  concerns.  In  truth,  what  each  one  thought  they 
all  knew,  and  none  could  have  any  interest  in  affairs  which 
the  others  were  not'  anxious  to  promote.  Though  the 
father  Avas  Italian  by  birth,  no  man  was  truer  to  English 
sentiment  than  he,  and  none  strove  harder  for  the  honor 
of  the  realm  he  served.  But  for  the  parsimony  of  King 
Henry  VII.,  the  glory  of  having  found  the  New  World  and 
the  advantage  of  its  inestimable  treasures  would  have  be 
longed  to  England  rather  than  to  Spain,  through  the  efforts 
of  this  modest  but  learned  navigator,  who  oft  implored 
his  aid  and  favor,  and  finally  did  secure  for  Britain  the 
honor  of  having  first  sighted  that  mainland  which  lieth 
between  Europe  and  Asia,  around  which  Magellan  hath 
lately  sailed  to  the  southward,  reaching  Ind  by  circum 
navigation,  as  Caboto  sought  to  do  by  sailing  to  the  north 
ward  so  long  ago  as  the  twelfth  year  of  the  seventh  Henry, 
\vhen  he  found  the  land  which  he  named  Prima  Vista, 
being,  as  it  hath  proved,  indeed  the  first  seen  of  any  part 
of  the  new  continent  by  any  Christian  eye. 


OUR  walk  to  Master  Flemming's  was  a  short  one,  for  he 
had  his  warehouse  on  the  water-side,  being  not  only  a 
general  provisioner  for  ships,  but  also  a  factor  for  any 
wares  they  might  bring,  which  business,  though  it  be  very 
honorable  because  of  the  trust  that  must  be  reposed  in  one 
carrying  it  on,  and  very  profitable  by  reason  of  the  many 
opportunities  that  offer,  yet  hath  one  inconvenience  in  that 
it  doth  require  large  magazines  in  which  goods  may  be 
stored  and  kept,  and  doth  compel  much  handling  and 
overhauling  of  matters  in  bulk,  as  they  come  from  the  ves 
sel's  hold.  For  the  greater  convenience  of  taking  and 
discharging  wares,  Master  Flcmming  had  so  ordered  his 
housing  that  a  crane  hung  at  peak  above  the  water  at  the 
rear,  and  another  over  the  street  in  front  of  his  door,  so 
that  goods  might  be  hoisted  in  and  out  of  either  floor 
without  difficulty  or  the  weariness  of  carriage  by  hand. 
In  that  part  of  his  housing,  which  was  to  the  right  of 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA.  65 

the  door  as  one  entered  from  the  street,  dwelt  Master 
Flemming  with  his  servants  and  apprentices,  and  to  the 
rear  upon  the  dock  he  had  his  counting-room.  All  the 
doors  and  windows  of  the  lower  floor  were  made  of  heavy 
oak,  with  iron  hinges  and  studded  with  bolts,  the  black 
heads  of  which  spelled  out  the  owner's  name,  or  at  least 
his  initials,  while  on  the  crane's  neck  was  carved  the  year 
of  God's  birth  in  which  the  housing  was  builded.  It  is 
necessary  that  one  who  has  another's  goods  shall  keep 
them  safe  as  well  as  his  own,  and  Master  Flemming  did 
not  mean  to  invite  a  mulct  by  any  neglect  of  duty.  He 
would  have  been  a  brave  man  who  sought  to  break  his 
ward  and  carry  off  anything  out  of  his  possession. 

An  apprentice  having  certified  us  that  Master  Flem 
ming  was  in  his  counting-room,  we  walked  back  to  it 
through  the  warehousing  where  the  stuffs  were  piled  high 
on  either  side.  He  had  been  aforetime  a  chandler,  but 
as  he  grew  in  wealth  and  years,  he  had  given  this  part  of 
the  business  over  to  his  sons,  though  it  was  still  carried 
on  in  his  name,  and  he  did  furnish  shipment  for  their 
wares  to  foreign  parts.  His  storage  was  filled,  therefore, 
not  only  with  casks  of  wines  and  spirits,  redwood  and 
dyes,  wax  and  rosin  and  a  thousand  other  things  from 
foreign  lands,  but  many  articles  of  domestic  make,  and 
such  things  as  are  found  most  abundantly  in  our  own 
island.  Signer  Caboto  called  out,  as  we  passed  by,  the 
character  of  different  articles  and  whence  they  came, 
rightly  judging  that  it  would  interest  us  to  know  from 
what  part  of  the  world  the  things  are  brought  which  min 
ister  to  our  comfort  or  welfare.  So  we  saw  many 
strange  things,  among  the  rest  bags  of  spices  and  figs  and 
dates  from  Arabia,  packages  of  sandalwood,  which  hath 
marvelous  virtues,  but  which  he  said  no  man  knoweth 
where  it  grows  save  that  it  cometh  from  the  East,  far 
beyond  Mecca,  whither  it  is  brought  for  sale.  These 
things  were  in  the  front,  and  had  that  strange  fragrance 

5 


66  OUT  OF  THE  SUBSET  SEA. 

that  seems  to  characterize  all  that  cometh  from  the  East  ; 
which  is  the  reason,  I  suppose,  that  it  is  the  land  of  spices, 
the  climate  generating  spicy  odors.  I  mentioned  this  to 
Signer  Caboto,  but  he  laughed  at  it,  and  thought  it  more 
likely  it  was  because  the  people  of  these  lands  did  not 
send  to  other  countries  their  most  ill-smelling-  products. 

"Here  you  find,''  he  said,  waving  his  hand  toward  the 
rear  of  the  building,  "what  it  is  that  good  Master  Flem- 
ming  doth  collect  to  send  abroad.  Nay,  you  do  not  need 
to  look,  for  your  noses  will  have  advertised  you  before  you 
are  able  to  see  them.  Wool  and  tallow,  and  fish  and 
soap  !  They  all  smack  of  comfort,  but  to  my  thinking 
have  by  no  means  sweet  savors.  I  like  well  enough 
herrings  and  tunnies,  whether  fresh  or  salt,  but  they  make 
no  good  part  of  a  nosegay,  either  dried  or  smoked  ;  our 
wool  smelleth  of  the  sheep-walk  instead  of  being  white  and 
sweet  as  that  the  Spaniard  sendeth  hither,  and,  though 
the  soaps  and  candles  of  Bristol-town  be  celebrated  al 
most  as  far  as  her  fish,  they  have  not  always  a  pleasant 
savor,  however  much  of  cleanliness  and  light  they  may 
contain." 

Discoursing  thus,  we  came  to  the  counting-room  where 
was  Master  Flemming  with  his  coat  off,  a  frown  upon  his 
brow  and  a  big  iron  ball  painted  with  various  colors  and 
having  strange  lines  and  figures  upon  it,  lying  on  the  desk 
before  which  he  sat  on  a  high  stool.  He  had  evidently 
been  at  work  helping  to  arrange  the  stock  in  his  ware 
house,  for  his  sleeves  were  rolled  above  his  elbows  showing 
great  hairy  arms  and  a  fist  fitter  to  collect  wharfage  of  the 
watermen  who  were  unlading  into  the  door  of  the  ware 
house,  than  to  set  down  balances  in  books  of  accompt. 
He  wore  a  thick  linen  apron  which  fell  almost  to  his  feet, 
and  held  in  his  hand  one  of  those  round  cheeses  which 
they  make  in  the  Netherlands  and  which  I  learned  after 
ward  Master  Flemming  much  preferred  to  those  made  by 
our  English  dairymaids,  probably  because  his  forebears 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA.  67 

came  from  those  parts,  though  all  the  token  of  it  that 
remained  to  him  was  the  name  he  bore  and  some  tastes 
that  smacked  mayhap  of  Flanders,  unless,  indeed,  the 
inherent  Flemish  thrift  deserve  to  be  credited  with  that 
fortune  which  made  him  by  all  odds  the  chiefest  citizen 
of  the  town,  though  he  would  have  no  municipal  honor 
or  dignity,  preferring  to  remain  simple  Master  Heinrich 
Flemming,  Merchant.  In  spirit,  he  was  the  sturdiest  of 
English  burghers,  honest,  loyal  to  the  realm,  but  a  staunch 
hater  of  all  ranks  and  orders  which  claim  for  themselves 
more  than  they  are  willing  to  accord  to  others,  and  stir  up 
wars  by  which  themselves  win  honors  and  power,  but  for 
which  the  poor  must  pay  and  in  which  the  lesser  folk 
must  bleed. 

He  was  most  loyal  to  King  Henry,  not  because  he  was 
a  Lancastrian  or  had  married  the  daughter  of  York,  but 
because  he  made  peace,  kept  the  nobles  under,  and  en 
couraged  commerce  and  manufacture  ;  the  which,  Master 
Flemming  was  wont  to  declare,  his  Grace  would  not 
have  thought  of  doing  but  for  the  grain  of  common  sense 
he  got  from  the  loins  of  Owen  Tudor,  who,  being  a  Welsh 
man,  and  poor,  was  not  ashamed  to  look  twice  at  a  penny 
before  he  gave  change  for  a  farthing.  There  be  many 
men  such  as  Master  Flemming  growing  up  in  our  realm  of 
England  in  these  days,  which  fact,  as  I  believe,  betokeneth 
the  decay  of  them  that  call  themselves  gentry,  who  are 
of  little  good  to  any  land,  save  as  an  encouragement 
of  such  as  may  be  born  in  lower  rank.  And  this  I  say, 
though  I  be  of  that  which  calleth  itself  gentle  blood,  which 
my  experience  teacheth  to  be  true  ;  for,  most  assuredly, 
had  I  the  ordering  of  affairs,  I  would  make  them  a  nobil 
ity  who  do  merit  honor  by  their  own  deeds,  and  let  their 
rank  die  with  them  ;  so  that  a  fool  should  not  vaunt  what 
a  wise  man  had  hardily  won. 

As  we  reached  the  door  of  the  counting-room  we  heard 
Master  Flemming  say  : 


68 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 


"There,  Messer  Colon,  I  see  not  why  this  Dutch 
cheese  may  not  make  as  good  a  globe  as  this  iron  ball, 
which  Messer  Caboto  prizes  all  the  more  highly,  as  I  sus 
pect,  because  he  picked  it  up  on  his  own  poop,  at  the 
bombardment  of  Calais.  At  any  rate,  he  hath  prepared 
it  with  great  care  and  keepeth  it  with  him  always  in  this 
canvas  bag,  so  that  the  lines  and  markings  shall  not  be 
dulled  or  broken,  for  they  be  of  vitreous  character  and 

very  bright  as  you 
perceive.  He  hath 
but  left  it  with  me, 
and  I  have  no  right 
to  give  it  to  another 
or  allow  it  to  be 
copied  or  studied  by 
another,  but  I  see 
no  reason  why  out 
of  this  cheese  you 
should  not  make  one 
for  yourself  as  good 
and  far  more  con 
venient.  It  is  much 
lighter,  just  as  round 
and  almost  as  hard. 
I  will  provide  pig 
ments  and  brushes, 
of  which  I  have 
every  sort  the  Italian 

artists  use,  since  it  hath  become  a  great  fashion  with  our 
young  gallants,  now  they  have  so  little  use  for  their  swords, 
to  imagine  they  are  painters,  and  instead  of  killing  people 
outright,  make  the  world  miserable,  God  knows  how 
long,  with  their  daubs  and  caricatures.  I  would  be  glad 
to  pay  you  a  fair  sum  to  make  such  an  one,  also,  for  my 
own  instruction  and  divertisement,  should  your  time  and 
strength  serve.  If  you  are  so  minded,  I  will  ask  Messer 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA.  69 

Caboto  when  he  comes,  to  lend  you  his  globe  that  you 
may  make  a  fair  copy  thereof  for  your  behoof  as  well  as 
mine. " 

"  What  need  ?  "  asked  a  voice,  weakened  and  querulous- 
"  Hath  Signer  Caboto  any  special  right  to  the  earth,  that 
he  alone  hath  privilege  to  portray  its  surface  ?  " 

"  Certes,  I  think  not,  Messer  Colon  ;  yet  every  man 
hath  a  right  to  the  labor  of  his  own  hands  and  the  devices  of 
his  own  brain  ;  and,  I  doubt  not,  Messer  Caboto  hath  spent 
much  time  and  mayhap  some  money  upon  this,  for  he  is 
aye  careless  with  what  the  sea  throws  into  his  lap,  and  I 
would  not  trust  it  with  any  hand  that  might  use  it  for 
his  detriment.  It  may  be  it  containeth  secrets  of  his  craft 
he  would  not  thank  me  for  disclosing  to  another  of  the 
same  calling." 

"Nay,  nay,  good  Master  Flemming,"  said  Signer  Caboto, 
in  his  cheery  tones,  stepping  forward  into  the  room  as  he 
spake.  "  I  thank  thee  kindly  for  the  friendship  thou  hast 
shown,  but  in  truth,  there  be  no  secrets  in  the  trade  of 
the  navigator.  The  great  sea  smiles  up  into  every  one's 
face  that  loves  her  and  telleth  freely  to  each  the  same 
great  truths,  not  for  his  own  good  merely,  but  for  that  of 
others  also.  So  every  navigator  that  is  a  true  man  and 
not  a  churl,  keepeth  a  sea-book,  and  on  it  truly  noteth 
down  every  point  and  headland,  rock  and  shoal  and 
current  that  may  imperil  another  craft  sailing  that  way, 
with  the  distances  and  bearings,  as  near  as  he  may 
arrive  thereat,  and  publisheth  what  he  hath  found  to  all 
the  captains  he  may  meet  and  others  who  may  care  to 
inquire,  in  order  that  a  more  perfect  knowledge  of  all 
the  courses  of  the  sea  may  abound  among  them  that  sail 
in  deep  waters  and  the  peril  of  the  navigator  be  decreased 
and  his  profit  enhanced  thereby." 

"Thy  words  be  very  fair,  Signer  Capitano, "  said  Mas 
ter  Flemming.  "  And  all  Bristol  knows  that  thy  thought 
is  ever  of  manful  and  worthy  things.  But  all  mariners 


70  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

be  not  like  thee.  This,  Messer  Colon,  now,"  with  a  wave 
of  his  hand  toward  a  wooden  settle  on  which  reclined  a 
man  of  goodly  stature,  whose  pale  cheeks  had  each  a  burn 
ing  spot  that  told  of  hectic  malignancy  and  whose  bright 
eyes  scanned  the  new  faces  in  the  doorway  with  strange 
anxiety—"  he  is  but  now  from  Portugal,  saving  some  delay 
from  pirates,  from  whom  he  hath  escaped  I  know  not 
how,  though  he  keepeth  a  close  mouth  upon  his  own 
purposes,  hath  asked  many  questions  concerning  thine, 
and  hath  importuned  me  to  give  him  the  globe  you  left 
in  my  care,  or,  at  the  least,  permit  him  to  make  a  copy  of 
the  same." 

"And  is  it,  perchance,  that  Colon  who  commanded  your 
good  ship  the  Sea  Queen,  when  we  sailed  together  a  hun 
dred  leagues  beyond  Thule  in  search  of  adventure  ?  "  asked 
Caboto  starting  towards  the  reclining  man.  "But  no,  it 
cannot  be.  His  hair,  now  I  remember,  was  white,  though 
he  was  then  far  from  being  an  old  man.  Pardon  me, 
good  sir,  you  are  perhaps  a  kinsman  of  his  !  He  was  a 
goodly  mariner." 

"  This  is  Messer  Bartolomeo,  brother  of  that  Cristofero 
of  whom  you  speak,"  replied  Master  Flemming.  "You 
say  well  he  was  a  good  navigator.  I  greatly  sorrowed  that 
I  was  not  able  to  retain  him  in  my  employ.  His  brother 
is  worthy  of  him,  as  I  understand  from  those  who  sailed 
with  him  hither  from  the  Douro.  The  passage  was  very 
stormy  and  they  do  assure  me  that,  but  for  his  courage  and 
skill,  it  had  gone  hard  with  them,  even  after  they  escaped 
the  pirates,  to  pass  the  Lizard,  so  much  were  they  blown 
out  of  their  course  and  reckoning.  Allow  me,  sir,  to 
introduce  Signer  Caboto,  a  countryman  of  yours,  or  I 
misdoubt,  though  you  now  hail  from  Portugal,  and  a  cap 
tain  of  whom  all  Bristol  is  proud. " 

"And  all  England  has  reason  to  be  proud,"  exclaimed 
the  sick  man,  rising  to  his  feet  and  grasping  the  extended 
hand  of  Signer  Caboto.  "I  have  heard  my  brother 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA.  71 

speak  of  you  more  than  once,  and  wish  that,  if  a  certain 
enterprise  on  which  he  hopes  to  embark  should  ever 
come  to  a  head,  he  might  have  you  at  his  right  hand." 

"He  does  me  too  much  honor,"  returned  the  Captain, 
"but  one  could  not  ask  to  sail  with  a  better  navigator.'' 

"I  fancy  from  what  Messer  Bartolomeo  hath  hinted 
rather  than  said,  that  the  enterprise  of  which  he  speaks, 
is  not  far  different  from  that  we  have  had  under  considera 
tion,"  said  Master  Flemming,  significantly. 

"God  send  him  a  kind  patron  and  Mary  Mother  give 
him  fair  wind,"  rejoined  the  Captain,  in  whose  heart  a 
trace  of  envy  was  never  found.  "  I  doubt  not  that  I  can 
guess  what  it  is.  We  used  often  to  talk  of  what  the  sun 
set  hides  and  wonder  whether  in  our  day  the  crimson 
curtain  of  the  West  would  be  lifted.  Should  he  undertake 
the  venture  none  shall  pray  more  heartily  for  his  success 
than  I.  Nay,  I  here  vow  a  candle  to  the  Virgin  as  long 
and  as  thick  as  any  Bristol  chandler  makes,  if  ever  I  hear 
that  he  hath  won  his  way  back  from  the  unknown  sea, 
after  having  found  new  lands  or  opened  a  new  way  to 
old  ones." 

"Thanks,  Signer  Capitano.  My  brother  especially 
charged  me  to  seek  you  out  and  consult  with  you  as  one 
of  the  most  learned  navigators  and  geographers  of  the 
world  about  the  enterprise  he  hath  in  mind,  and  par 
ticularly  whether  you  have  at  all  changed  your  mind  as  to 
the  better  way  for  reaching  Ind.  He  also  charged  me  to 
show  you  a  letter  from  the  learned  Signer  Paolo  del  Pozzo 
dei  Toscaneli  and  inform  you  of  certain  maps  and  charts 
which  fell  into  his  hands  upon  his  marriage  with  the 
daughter  of  Messer  Bartolomeo  Perestrello,  sometime 
Governor  of  Porto  Santo,  one  of  the  Madeiras,  as  you 
know,  together  with  certain  things  which  have  come  under 
my  own  observation." 

"Your  brother  is  in  the  service  of  Portugal,  I  be 
lieve  ?  " 


72  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

"He  was  until  recently,  but  the  refusal  of  Dom  Joao 
to  listen  to  his  entreaty,  and  especially  an  attempt  on  his 
part  to  secure  the  fruits  of  the  venture  my  brother  desires 
to  undertake,  without  permitting  him  to  reap  either  honor 
or  advantage  therefrom,  have  determined  him,  since  the 
return  of  Bartolomeo  Diaz,  to  lose  no  further  time  in 
negotiation  with  so  penurious  and  treacherous  a  monarch. 
Wherefore,  he  hath  betaken  himself  to  the  court  of  their 
Majesties  of  Castile  and  Aragon,  and  I  am  come,  in  his 
name,  to  see  if  your  English  Henry  may  not  be  disposed 
to  adventure  some  of  his  wealth  in  such  an  enter 
prise.  " 

"  God  send  you  success  for  your  own  and  your  brother's 
sake  ;  but  I  warn  you  that  our  thrifty  king  holds  an  un 
usually  close  hand  upon  the  purse-strings — as,  in  sooth, 
he  hath  good  need  to  do,  since  in  these  days  money  not 
only  maketh  the  mare  go,  but  feedeth  the  bombard  also, 
and  he  that  hath  the  most  of  these  devil's  engines  hath 
always  the  Lord  on  his  side." 

"But,  Signer  Caboto,"  interrupted  Flemming,  "think  of 
our  own  project !  " 

"All  in  good  time,  Master  Flemming, "  was  the  grave 
reply.  "No  mariner  cometh  the  sooner  into  port  by 
hindering  the  voyage  of  another.  It  may  be  that  Messer 
Colon's  intercession  or  his  brother's  success  even  may 
but  oil  the  hinges  on  which  the  gate  of  favor  shall  open 
to  us.  I  say  God  speed  to  him  and  all  true  mariners  !  " 

"Now,  by  God's  grace,  you  do  put  me  to  shame!" 
exclaimed  the  other,  "for  I  am  so  given  to  suspicion, 
since  the  harsh  dealings  of  the  King  of  Portugal  with  my 
brother  and  myself,  that  I  would  have  stolen  by  Bristol 
without  speech  of  you,  but  for  this  meeting." 

"That  would  have  been  a  great  wrong  to  me,  for  I  have 
much  to  ask  of  you  about  the  Portuguese  discoveries  in 
the  far  South.  Think  you  they  will  ever  reach  Ind  that 
way?  Hath  Africa  a  southern  end  which  may  indeed 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA.  73 

be  sailed  about  ?  What  doth  your  brother  think  of  these 
things  ?  " 

"  He  thinketh  that  of  which  I  have  certified  him,"  re 
plied  the  other  with  a  smile. 

"How  could  you  certify  of  them?  " 

"I  was  with  Bartolomeo  Diaz." 

"In  his  great  voyage?" 

"It  is  less  than  a  year  since  our  return,  and  this  fever, 
which  I  hope  your  English  cold  may  drive  away,  doth 
witness  for  me  whereof  I  speak." 

"And  is  it  true,  as  I  have  heard,  that  he  did  pass  the 
southernmost  point  of  Africa  which  he  called  Stormy  Cape, 
but  Dom  Joao  rechristened  Good  Hope  because  it  pointeth 
the  way  to  Ind  ?  " 

"That  and  much  more,"  was  the  reply.  "I  have 
charts  of  my  own  making  which  show  it  all." 

"Then,  indeed,  we  are  well  met  !  But  you  have  held 
me  so  that  I  have  forgot  the  duty  of  civility.  Let  me 
make  amend  and  introduce  my  good  friend  Fray  Lope 
Mendez,  who  is  one  of  the  best-learned  and  worthiest 
fathers  of  the  Church.  That  he  does  not  wear  a  cardinal's 
hat  were  a  strong  argument  for  a  Lollard's  faith  that  the 
Holy  Father  is  not  always  infallible.  And  this  is  our 
young  Master  Arthur  Lake,  whom  the  good  Father  is 
to  fit  for  the  Church's  service  ;  though  he  hath  a  grip  that 
would  better  befit  a  sword  or  a  tiller  than  a  missal,  and,  my 
Bastien  doth  assure  me,  hath  the  heart  of  the  navigator 
rather  than  the  priest — begging  the  Padre's  pardon  for  say 
ing  so  much. " 

"Better  a  good  sailor  than  a  bad  priest,  my  son,"  said 
Father  Mendez  as  he  shook  hands  with  the  stranger. 

"  We  heard  of  thy  ailment,  sir,  and  ventured  to  intrude 
on  the  courtesy  of  good  Master  Flemming  to  proffer 
ministration  if  need  were,  but  are  glad  to  know  that 
thou  art  to  minister  to  our  ignorance  rather  than  we  to 
thy  weakness." 


74  OUr  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

"Thou  art  very  kind,  good  Father,  and  I  crave  thy 
blessing, "  answered  the  stranger  as  he  took  off  his  cap, 
and  bowed  a  shapely  head  to  receive  the  priestly  touch. 
"I  have  great  need  of  aid  both  spiritual  and  temporal, 
for  the  fever  which  cometh  on  alternate  days  doth  burn 
like  a  consuming  fire  while  it  lasts,  but  leaves  me  weaker 
than  a  child  when  it  is  past.  The  which  must  be  my 
excuse  for  asking  permission  to  recline  once  more." 

"And,  by  the  same  token, "  said  Master  Flemming,  "I 
must  ask  pardon  for  offering  no  entertainment  to  those 
who  have  graced  my  humble  abode.  Fray  Mendez,  I 
have  heard  that  thou  hast  skill  with  bodies,  as  every  one 
in  the  country  round  knovveth  thou  hast  with  souls  ;  if  it 
please  thee,  diagnoso  our  friend's  distemper,  and  say  what 
tipple  serveth  best  for  its  removal  and  we  will  pledge  him 
a  lusty  bumper,  though  it  were  the  golden  vintage  sacred 
to  the  taste  of  royalty  ;  for  I  venture  we  may  find  a 
wickered  flagon  somewheres  about  the  cobwebbed  cran 
nies  of  the  outer  darkness,"  with  a  gesture  toward  the 
wareroom.  "Or  were  it  better  he  should  have  a  glass  of 
that  white  spicy  wine  which  seems  the  very  essence  of 
the  fervid  Ind,  although  it  cometh  but  from  the  half-way 
house  where  Dom  Joao's  ships  stop  in  their  vain  search 
ing  for  the  other  end  of  the  line,  and  which  Spain  doth 
claim,  though  she  hath  no  good  use  to  put  it  to — that 
Madeira  of  which  you  have  spoken  ?  " 

"  By  my  faith,  Master  Flemming,"  said  Signor  Caboto, 
"  thou  speakest  like  a  geographer." 

'•Why  should  I  not,  indeed?  Is  not  the  wharfinger 
cousin-germain  to  the  navigator?  Where  would  they 
that  sail  the  ships  be,  were  it  not  for  us  who  furnish  their 
supplies  and  find  a  market  for  the  merchandise  they 
bring  ?  Then,  too,  thou  knowest  that  every  mariner  who 
would  make  sale  of  his  cargo,  seasoneth  the  trade  with 
stories  of  adventure  larded  with  latitude  and  longitude, 
bearings  and  distances,  until  I  were  a  fool  did  I  not  learn 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA.  75 

their  lingo  and  be  able  to  change  guesses  with  the  best  of 
them.  Which  mindeth  me,  good  Capitano  that  I  have  been 
in  a  hot  choler  all  the  morn  that  thou  hast  served  me  so 
ill  as  not  to  offer  me  any  of  the  tunnies  taken  on  thy  last 
voyage,  which  all  the  town  declares  were  never  equaled 
for  size  and  quality  by  any  landed  on  a  Bristol  wharf." 

"  Right  indeed  art  thou  about  the  quality,  Master  Flem- 
ming — three  sloop  loads  of  the  finest  hake  that  ever  took 
a  hook  in  ice-cold  water,  lightly  salted  and  smoked  with 
seaweed  on  the  northwest  coast  of  Thule,  so  that  I  war 
rant  you  there  be  not  a  hint  of  rust  in  the  whole.  There 
was  not  a  rainy  day  nor  a  fog  while  the  curing  lasted, 
though  I  pledge  you  it  was  cold  enough.  Nor  was  I 
remiss  in  courtesy,  for  but  this  morn  I  charged  my  son  to 
send  to  Mistress  Flemming  a  doe  of  fifty  pounds,  cured 
with  the  roe  inside,  the  which,  if  I  mistake  not,  waiteth 
yonder  now  !  " 

At  that  moment  an  apprentice  ushered  in  a  sailor,  bear 
ing  on  his  head  an  enormous  stock-fish,  which  at  a  signal 
from  Caboto  he  held  in  his  arms  while  the  merchant 
examined  it  with  many  expressions  of  approval. 

"Thou  sayest  not  too  much  in  praise  of  thy  catch,  if 
they  be  like  that,  Signer  Caboto,"  said  he  with  enthusiasm. 
"Never  have  I  seen  such  a  cod  in  Bristol,  and  I  invite 
you  all  to  dine  with  me  to-morrow,  if  it  suit  your  pleasure, 
and  we  shall  see  whether  Mistress  Flemming  hath  the 
skill  to  make  a  chowder  worthy  of  the  meat  thou  hast  fur 
nished  her,  for  the  which  I  thank  thee  in  her  name." 

We  all  accepted  this  invitation  gladly,  for  the  fame  of 
Mistress  Flemming's  chowder  was  such  as  to  justify  the 
confident  boast  of  her  husband. 

"  But  thou  knowest  well  it  was  not  of  such  present  I 
spoke,  Capitano,  nor  because  of  neglect  of  this  that  I  was 
angered,"  said  the  merchant.  "  Why  hast  thou  brought 
none  of  thy  stock  to  me  for  sale  ?  " 

"Pardon,  Master  Flemming,"  answered  Caboto  with  a 


76 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 


bow,  "you  know  well  that  you  have  often  rated  me  for 
being  so  poor  a  merchant,  in  which,  God  wot,  thou  art 
wholly  right.  So,  I  have  but  taken  a  lesson  out  of  thine 
own  book.  Didst  thou  not  tell  me  that  the  folly  of  all 

the  captains 
was  their  haste 
to  dispose  of 
the  merchan 
dise  they 
brought,  run 
ning  about 
from  one  to 
another  of  the 
merchants, 
huffing  their 
wares  and  cut- 
tingundereach 
other's  prof 
fers,  as  if  their 
chance  of  sale 
were  lessened 
with  every 
day's  delay  ? 
Wherefore,  I 
have  thought 
to  get  the  lease 
hold  of  a  mod 
est  housing 
where  the  sur 
plus  might  be 
stored  until 
such  time  as 
the  merchants  might  desire  to  buy." 

"Humph!"   said    Master    Flemming,    not    especially 
pleased,  as  was  evident  enough,  whereat  we  all  laughed. 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA.  77 

"What  dost  thou  ask  for  the  callings  that  be  left  of  thy 
cateh?  " 

"Faith,  Master  Flemming,  there  be  no  culls  ;  all  them 
that  were  not  sound  and  prime,  we  left  for  the  gulls  in 
Thule-land,  and  they  that  buy  must  take  them  as  they 
come,  without  assortment.  But  I  would  not  presume 
to  name  a  price  to  one  who  knoweth  the  mart  so  much 
better  than  I." 

"Thou  wouldst  not  listen  to  a  proffer  of  five  shil 
lings  the  kentle  for  what  thou  hast  left  on  hand,  I 
suppose  ?  " 

"  Truly  thou  hast  said  it,  Master  Flemming.  He  may 
be  a  bad  merchant  who  findeth  not  sale  for  his  wares,  but 
he  be  a  worse  one  who  giveth  them  away." 

We  stood  by  listening  to  the  trafficking,  for  it  was  evi 
dent  to  all  that  the  merchant  meant  to  buy  if  he  could 
get  the  goods  on  terms  that  suited  him,  and  every  one 
knew  the  repute  in  which  Signer  Caboto  stood  as  a  poor 
salesman  of  his  own  merchandise.  So  we  listened  with 
interest,  as  did  also  the  old  clerk  who  sat  upon  a  stool  in 
the  corner  of  the  room,  whose  business  it  was  to  keep  the 
books  of  accompt  for  Master  Flemming,  and  two  or  three 
apprentices,  who  stood  about  the  door  while  they  rested 
from  the  labor  of  storing  the  bales  which  the  lightermen 
hoisted  within  the  door  of  the  great  room  without. 

"  Fvery  mariner  thinketh  his  wares  more  precious  than 
gold,"  said  the  merchant,  petulantly. 

"Mayhap  that  is  because  he  hath  risked  his  life  for 
them,  which  the  merchant  hath  not." 

"  Men  die  on  land  as  well  as  at  sea." 

"  Most  true,  and  doth  not  the  merchant  include  risk  in 
his  account  of  profit  ?  " 

"A  plain  merchant  cannot  argue  with  a  learned  navi 
gator.  Set  thou  a  price  on  what  remaineth  to  thee  ! " 

"  If  thou  hadst  said  ten  shillings  per  kentle,  I  doubt  not 
I  had  heard  thee." 


78  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

"  Certes,  I  should  think  !  A  penny  a  pun  for  tunnies, 
by  the  cargo  !  '' 

"Thou  didst  never  see  such  baccallos  !  " 

"  I  will  give  thee  seven  and  six." 

"And  for  eight  they  shall  be  thine." 

"They  shall  be  long  kentles  ?  " 

"  Weighed  in  thine  own  balances." 

"I  will  take  them,  though  such  a  price  was  never  paid 
in  this  port  before  !  How  many  hast  thou  ?  " 

"Three  sloop  loads." 

"  What  !  hast  thou  sold  none  ?  " 

"Save  a  few  presents  to  friends  and  the  king's  officers 
and  judges,  all  are  yet  under  hatch." 

"Why  is  that?" 

"  Because  none  hath  appraised  them  so  justly  as  thou." 

"  What  wast  thou  offered  ?  " 

"  One  hath  proffered  three  and  six." 

At  this  reply  there  was  a  burst  of  laughter  from  all. 

"  Bravo,  Capitano  !  "  exclaimed  the  priest,  slapping  him 
lustily  on  the  shoulder.  "  Thou  art  improving  as  a  mer 
chant  ;  is  he  not,  Master  Flemming?  " 

"  Who  would  not,  with  such  tutelage  ?  "  asked  the  navi 
gator,  bowing  toward  the  merchant. 

"I  hope  to  drink  a  cup  of  sack  with  tliee,  Messer 
Caboto, "  said  the  old  clerk,  hopping  down  from  his  stool 
and  proffering  his  hand  gleefully.  "In  twenty  years' 
service  here  no  man  hath  got  the  better  of  Master  Flem 
ming  before,  to  my  knowing." 

"He  laughs  best  who  laughs  last,"  said  Flemming, 
taking  the  iron  globe  covered  with  white  porcelain,  which 
lay  upon  the  desk  before  him,  tossing  it  upward  and  catch 
ing  it  as  it  came  down.  "  Every  one  to  his  calling,  Signor 
Caboto.  Thou  knowest  the  face  of  the  earth,  and  canst 
depict  it  aright  on  chart  and  globe — if  so  be  that  it  is 
really  a  sphere — but  I  know  its  markets,  and,  if  I  could 
not  make  this  pretty  toy,  I  know  how  to  make  profit  from 


OUT  Of  THE  SUNSET  SEA.  79 

mine  opportunity.  Know,  therefore,  that  I  have  certain 
knowledge  of  a  fleet  that  cometh  presently  from  the 
Douro,  seeking  especially  for  fish,  which  are  scarce 
among  the  Doms  this  year,  while  fast-days  and  doubloons 
are  especially  plenty  there.  As  I  understand  it,  I  am  now 
the  owner  of  all  the  stock-fish  in  Bristol-town,  with  no 
chance  for  any  more  to  reach  wharfage  for  two  months 
at  least.  It  will  go  hard  if  I  do  not  double  my  money  on 
the  fish  I  shall  sell  and  the  cargoes  of  fresh  figs  and  fat 
wines  I  shall  buy." 

There  was  another  laugh,  and  Signer  Caboto  said,  with 
out  any  trace  of  bitterness  : 

"  I  am  heartily  glad  of  it,  Master  Flemming,  for  now  I 
can  take  your  moneys  with  a  light  heart,  which  would 
burn  a  hole  in  my  pouch  did  I  think  you  were  a  loser  by 
the  trade." 

"Certes,  thou  art  a  pleasant  trafficker  as  well  as  a 
learned  navigator,"  said  Master  Flemming  holding  out  his 
great  red  fist  which  Signor  Caboto  matched  with  one  as 
brown  and  hard  as  sea  winds,  and,  I  opine,  some  ship- 
work,  too,  could  make  it.  Then  Master  Flemming,  turn 
ing  to  Fray  Mendez,  who  stood  by  Messer  Colon  and  had 
been  feeling  his  pulse  and  looking  in  his  mouth  the  mean 
time,  said  : 

"  I  crave  your  pardon,  good  Father.  I  had  quite  forgot 
that  you  were  to  prescribe  for  our  friend.  What  shall  it 
be?  Chian  from  the  Levant,  the  dark,  soft  wine  of 
Oporto,  bright  Burgundy  from  France,  the  fragrant 
amber  of  the  royal  grape  of  Hungary  or  the  white  spicy 
nectar  of  Madeira  ?  Let  us  know  and  we  will  pledge  his 
health  and  the  captain's  fortune  in  a  bumper,  whatever  it 
be.  Buying  fish  be  thirsty  work  as  well  as  taking  them  ; 
am  I  not  right,  Signor  Caboto  ?  " 

"Master  Flemming,"  said  the  Padre,  "every  region 
hath  its  own  distempers,  and  it  hath  pleased  God  to  pro 
vide  that  in  each  shall  also  be  found  the  remedy,  if  man 


8o  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

be  wise  enough  to  discover  it.  The  fever  of  which  Messer 
Colon  doth  languish  now,  is  that  malignancy  which 
ariseth  from  great  heat,  and  the  disorders  coming  from 
much  decay  of  vegetable  matter  especially  in  rivers  and 
estuaries  where  fresh  water  is  corrupted  by  mingling  with 
the  salt  tides  of  the  open  sea.  It  but  standeth  to  reason, 
therefore,  that  the  wine  of  Madeira,  which  is  distilled 
from  the  earth  under  a  tropic  sun,  should  have  more 
potency  with  such  disease  than  any  other.  So,  for  the 
time,  I  would  commend  a  liberal  draught  of  the  same, 
though  I  do  believe  that  rest  and  quiet,  with  the  free  use 
of  our  home-brewed  ale,  such  as  the  Lady  of  Edgemont 
hath  ever  in  store,  are  the  medicaments  by  which  alone 
our  friend,  who  hath  escaped  the  dangers  of  the  '  Steam 
ing  Sea  '  may  hope  also  to  ward  off  the  evils  of  that  fell 
disease  he  hath  derived  therefrom. " 

"  A  flask  of  the  white  Madeira,  sirrah  !  "  called  Master 
Flemming  to  one  of  his  apprentices,  and  when  it  was 
brought  he  showed  us  how  the  cobwebs  had  gathered  on 
it  while  it  grew  old,  and  when  the  cork  was  removed  the 
spicy  fragrance  filled  the  whole  room,  and  made  the 
apprentices  without  snuff  the  air  and  smack  their  lips  as 
if  themselves  tasting  the  famous  vintage. 

We  all  drank  more  than  once,  and  as  the  soft  heat  of  the 
healing  sippet  drove  the  pallor  from  Messer  Colon's  face, 
beads  of  moisture  came  upon  his  brow,  and  he  sank  to 
peaceful  slumber,  while  we  stole  away,  after  renewing 
our  promise  to  dine  with  Master  Flemming  and  his  guest 
upon  the  morrow. 


CHAPTER  VII 


HAT  a  dinner  that  was  at  Master 
Flemming's  !  The  great  bowl  of 
steaming-  chowder  was  placed 
before  the  Master,  who  occupied 
the  head  of  the  wide  oaken  table  which  ran  through 
the  room  adjoining  the  warehouse,  while  the  kettle 
from  which  it  was  supplied  hung  on  a  crane  that 
swung  back  from  the  jamb  of  the  huge  fire-place, 
around  which  other  meats  and  delicacies  were  kept 
warm  awaiting  the  appetites  of  the  company.  The 
Master  had  upon  his  right  Messer  Colon  and  on  his  left 
the  Signer  Caboto,  while  midway  of  the  table,  where  she 
could  oversee  the  service,  sat  the  Mistress,  a  woman 
much  younger  than  her  husband,  as  was  most  proper 
seeing  that  she  was  a  second  wife,  with  the  worshipful 
Master  Channing  on  her  right  and  Father  Mendez,  who 
was  ho  less  a  favorite  with  women  than  with  men,  upon 
her  left.  The  others  of  the  company  were  ranged  on  the 
one  side  and  the  other  as  good  fellowship  might  seem  to 
require.  At  the  end  of  the  table  opposite  the  Master, 
which  was.  lower  than  that  at  which  the  guests  sate,  were 
the  servants  and  apprentices  of  the  house.  All  were 
dressed  in  clean  white  smocks,  and  two  of  them  assisted 
the  maid-servants  in  handing  and  passing  the  viands 

6 


82  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA, 

which  sat  upon  the  hearth  and  in  waiting  upon  the  guests 
whom  the  Master  served. 

For  myself,  I  sat  nearly  opposite  the  Mistress,  with  the 
daughter  of  the  house  beside  me,  which,  although  she 
was  but  a  child,  I  counted  a  great  honor  because  of  her 
exceeding  comeliness.  Because  it  was  upon  a  Friday  at 
the  staple  dish  was  the  great  cod  which  Captain  Caboto 
had  presented  to  the  Mistress,  who  rallied  her  husband 
exceedingly  upon  having  invited  so  many  friends  to  dine 
upon  a  fast  day,  as  showing  him  distrustful  of  her  ability 
to  satisfy  their  tastes  and  appetites  on  any  other  day. 
There  was  no  lack  of  goodly  viands,  however,  and  all  the 
guests  expressed  themselves  as  greatly  amazed  at  the 
various  ways  in  which  fish  were  served,  and  the  tooth 
some  dishes  made  therefrom  ;  for  beside  the  chowder, 
which  was  fit  to  have  been  served  at  a  king's  table,  there 
were  fishes  boiled  and  roasted,  smelts  seethed  in  oil  in  the 
Italian  style,  tongues  and  roes  stewed  and  fried  and  many 
other  forms,  so  that  the  difficulty  was  not  to  find  some 
what  to  one's  taste  but  to  choose  what  one  would  eat  and 
what  refuse,  since  even  the  lustiest  appetite  might  not 
taste  them  all.  It  was  a  merry  company,  for  not  only  the 
sons  of  Signor  Caboto,  but  two  daughters  of  Master  Chan- 
ning  and  a  sister  of  Mistress  Flemming,  as  well  as  the 
Master's  two  sons  and  their  wives  sat  with  us.  One  of 
the  daughters  of  the  magistrate  was  betrothed  to  a  son  of 
the  navigator,  and,  though  they  were  most  modest  and 
seemly  in  deportment,  I  judged  from  certain  looks  and 
tones  that  the  two  other  young  women  were  not  wholly 
indifferent  to  the  mariners  who  sat  beside  them.  There 
was  also  drinking  of  ale  out  of  pewter  tankards,  of  which 
there  was  one  for  every  guest,  or  sometimes  one  for 
twaine  when  one  of  them  was  a  maid.  So  all  was  merry, 
though  orderly,  and  every  one  praised  the  housewifeliness 
of  the  Mistress  and  the  excellence  of  her  brew. 

The  while  we  ate  Messer  Colon,  being  wistfully  implored 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA.  £3 

thereto,  told  us  of  the  great  voyage  of  the  mighty  navi 
gator  Bartolomco  Diaz,  with  whom  he  had  lately  sailed ; 
how  he  was  sent  out  by  the  King,  Dom  Joao  of  Portugal, 
to  win  his  way  to  India,  if  so  he  might,  by  sailing  south 
ward  along  the  western  coast  of  Africa  and  then  north 
ward  on  its  eastern  side,  if  that  were  possible,  until  he 
should  come  to  the  realm  of  Prester  John  and,  perchance, 
arrive  even  at  the  islands  where  the  spices  grow,  of  which 
he  was  commanded  to  bring  home  all  that  his  ships  would 
hold.  All  of  which  he  undertook  well  and  bravely  to 
perform.  Having  passed  Cape  Non  and  afterwards  Cape 
Bojador,  they  came  to  the  Gambler  River  and  the  region 
where  the  sun  casts  no  shadow  at  midday.  Then  they 
sailed  along  the  Gold  Coast,  with  their  shadows  creeping 
farther  and  farther  southward,  and  the  air  so  hot  it  almost 
burned  one's  pipes  as  he  drew  in  his  breath,  and  heavy 
with  fog  and  fever  too,  until  they  reached  the  Congo. 
Here  they  were  like  to  die,  and  the  men  swore  they  would 
go  no  farther,  as  who  can  blame  them,  until  finally  Diaz 
gave  up  and  consented  to  sail  northward.  Then  the 
men  mustered  strength  and  courage,  though  they  were 
all  shaking  with  fever  and  looked  as  if  death  sat  on  each 
man's  forehead,  with  the  aid  of  certain  black  savages  to 
warp  the  ships  into  the  offing,  where  the  land  breeze  took 
them  and  carried  them  out  to  sea,  where  they  lay  be 
calmed  for  three  days,  with  the  pitch  melting  out  of  their 
seams,  it  was  so  hot,  and  sharks  swimming  round  in 
shoals  waiting  for  the  dead  they  threw  overboard. 

On  the  third  day  a  terrible  wind  sprang  up  from  the 
northward  which  raged  for  fourteen  days  without  any 
abatement,  while  they  sailed  due  south,  the  water  slipping 
under  their  keels  as  if  they  were  indeed  on  the  downward 
side  of  the  earth.  Meantime  the  weather  continued  to 
grow  colder  and  colder  until  the  spray  froze  to  the  rig 
ging,  their  shadows  stretched  away  to  the  southward  and 
the  nights  were  so  long  that  all  on  board  feared  they 


84  OfJT  OF  THE  StfNSE?  S£A. 

might  be  sailing  into  the  realm  of  eternal  gloom.  When 
the  clouds  lifted,  not  a  star  was  to  be  seen  that  any  mar 
iner  knew.  The  needle  pointed  stedfastly,  but  neither 
the  pole-star  nor  any  of  the  constellations  of  the  North 
were  to  be  seen.  Then  the  wind  shifted  and  they  sailed 
eastward  for  six  days  with  a  fair  wind,  and  failing  to 
make  any  land,  they  turned  their  prows  northward,  and 
on  the  third  day  discovered  land  upon  the  larboard  side, 
of  very  strange  appearance,  such  as  none  of  them  had 
seen  before,  but  going  ashore  and  finding  both  lions  and 
hairy  wild-men,  like  those  about  Gaboon,  they  concluded 
it  to  be  the  East  Coast  of  Africa. 

Having  skirted  this  for  some  days,  and  the  weather 
continuing  to  grow  sultry  and  the  fever  becoming  more 
and  more  violent,  the  men  refused  to  man  the  sails  unless 
the  commander  would  steer  homewards.  Which  when 
he  had  consented  to  do,  after  many  prayers  and  tears, 
they  sailed  back  the  way  they  had  come,  and  after  round 
ing  a  most  stormy  Cape,  which  strained  their  vessels, 
made  weak  by  long  voyaging  in  hot  seas,  and  by  the 
attacks  of  certain  fishes  and  insects  that  breed  in  those 
waters,  so  that  they  sailed  most  sluggishly  as  if  drawn 
backward  down  the  watery  slope  by  some  invisible 
power,  they  reached  the  Madeira  Islands,  where  they  took 
on  fresh  supplies,  for  the  scurvy  had  broken  out  among 
them  and  bested  them  sorely  so  that  many  had  died.  And 
so  at  length  they  came  empty  back  to  the  Douro,  where 
they  had  no  sooner  told  their  story  and  showed  the  sea- 
book  they  had  kept,  and  the  maps  they  had  made,  than 
the  King  berated  them  soundly,  averring  that  they  had 
indeed  found  the  way  to  Ind,  and  if  they  had  but  had 
courage  to  keep  on  a  few  days  more,  they  might  have 
come  home  with  such  stores  of  precious  things  that  they 
would  all  have  been  accounted  grandees  forever  after. 

"And  by  God's  Mother!"  exclaimed  Signor  Caboto, 
"he  was  right,  too.  The  cowardly  mutineers  !  Every 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA.  85 

one  of  them  should  have  been  hung  at  the  yard  for  com 
pelling  a  brave  mariner  to  forego  such  a  glorious  oppor 
tunity  !  Had  they  been  English  sailors  they  had  never 
turned  back  though  they  knew  the  last  man  would  have 
to  come  home  by  way  of  Davy  Jones's.  By  Heaven  !  it 
is  too  bad  !  He  has  proved  it  all, — the  rotundity  of  the 
earth,  the  double  hyperborean,  the  great  sea  upon  the 
East  Coast  of  Africa  !  Probably  a  week's  voyaging  would 
have  brought  brave  Diaz  to  the  land  of  Ophir  whence 
King  Solomon  got  the  gold  for  his  temple,  and  perhaps  by 


another  seven  days'  sailing,  he  might  have  anchored  be 
side  the  Spice  Islands  themselves  !  It  was  hard  luck, 
Messer  Colon,  indeed  it  was,  but  it  showed  not  only  the 
way  to  Ind  which  he  sought,  but  a  much  better  way 
which  he  knows  not  of." 

"  That  is  what  my  brother  says,"  returned  Messer  Colon, 
"and  he  protests  that,  beyond  question,  ifBartolomeo  Diaz 
had  sailed  westward  from  the  Azores,  he  would  have 
found  India  in  fourteen  days  at  the  farthest,  and  have 
sailed  all  the  time  in  a  salubrious  clime," 


86  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

"Aye,  aye!  That  was  ever  his  notion,"  answered 
Caboto,  "but  I  am  not  sure  that  he  be  any  nearer  right 
than  the  Portuguese  themselves.  By  my  reckoning,  it  be 
not  less  than  two  thousand  leagues  from  the  Azores  to  the 
eastermost  point  of  Ind,  and  what  with  chanee  of  wind 
and  wave,  there  be  little  hope  that  any  vessel  ean  carry 
food  and  water  for  so  long  a  voyage.  Now,  if  he  should 
sail  westward  or  north-westward  from  Bristol,  I  believe 
that  within  four,  or  at  the  most  five  hundred  leagues 
hence,  he  would  set  his  foot  on  firm  land,  whence  with 
fresh  supplies  he  might  sail  whithersoever  he  would. " 

"  But  my  brother  avers  that  such  course  would  lead  to 
a  region  too  cold  for  either  gold  or  spices,  which  are 
ever  to  be  found  in  the  hotter  parts  of  the  earth.'' 

"And  are  gold  and  spices  the  only  things  the  naviga 
tor  should  seek  ?  Suppose  it  were  a  land  of  plenty  ;  it 
were  better — far  better. " 

"  Or  the  land  of  youth  ?  "  put  in  Sebastian  Caboto  ;  but 
his  father  frowned  on  him  and  bade  him  give  no  heed  to 
old  wives'  tales. 

"But  my  brother  saith  that  the  winds  blow  east  and 
west  in  alternate  zones,  the  one  central  on  one  meridian 
and  the  other  on  another. " 

"  That  he  doth,"  responded  Caboto,  "  and  it  is  passing 
strange  what  foolish  fantasies  a  learned  man  may  pursue  ! 
Take  my  word  for  it,  Messer  Colon,  the  wind  does  not 
play  hide-and-seek  up  and  down  the  earth  at  any  man's 
bidding.  I  have  heard  these  stories  oft  and  have  watched 
to  see  them  come  true,  but  they  never  have.  In  truth, 
only  the  smallest  part  of  the  winds  upon  the  sea  travel 
by  compass,  and  the  most  stable  of  them,  never.  Storms 
most  usually  come  out  of  the  West,  it  is  true,  but  not  at 
the  same  angle  or  on  the  same  course,  but  wheeling  and 
careering  on  some  great  circle  not  always  the  same,  and 
laid  down  on  no  man's  map." 

The  night  was   well  spent  when  the  ladies  withdrew 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA.  87 

and  with  them  the  worshipful  Magistrate  also,  whose 
chairs  were  in  waiting  for  them  in  the  street.  Then 
Master  Flemming,  with  the  aid  of  the  eldest  of  his  serv 
ants,  did  make  a  beverage  of  some  stronger  stuff  where 
of  we  drank  and  the  contention  did  go  on  stormingly 
enough  ;  though  how  it  came  out,  I  know  not,  since  I 
must  have  fallen  asleep,  for  the  thing  that  next  came  to 
my  consciousness  was  the  steady  "Heave,  yo  !  heave 
ho  !  "  of  the  lightermen,  and  opening  my  eyes  I  found 
myself  on  a  bed  beneath  the  rafters,  while  over  against  me, 
snoring  soundly  with  his  clothes  on,  lay  Father  Mendez 
on  another.  I  knew  at  once  it  was  the  loft  of  Master 
Flemming's  wharfing-house,  and  when  I  had  wakened 
the  good  Father  and  we  had  pulled  each  other's  garments 
aright  and  said  a  hasty  prayer,  we  went  down  the  ladder 
and  found  Mistress  Flemming  waiting,  smiling  and  fresh, 
who  took  us  into  the  hall  where  we  had  supped,  and 
served  us  a  whey  posset  with  salted  curds,  which  she  did 
recommend  as  the  best  thing  for  the  distemper  which  fol 
lows  a  carousel.  And  after  we  had  bidden  good-morrow 
to  Master  Flemming,  whom  we  found  lustily  berating  a 
company  of  stevedores  who  were  hoisting  Signer  Caboto's 
fish  into  his  warehouse,  where  his  servants  were  stowing 
them  away,  we  mounted  our  horses  and  rode  homewards, 
leisurely,  and  with  few  words,  for  the  distemper  of  our 
heads  was  not  wholly  abated  by  the  good  wife's  whole 
some  sippet.  But  hardly  had  we  arrived  in  sight  of 
Edgemont  than  we  beheld  that  which  took  all  thought  of 
ailment  from  our  minds,  and  putting  spurs  to  our  horses 
we  entered  its  gates  only  to  hear  the  trumpet  sound  the 
mount,  and  see  my  father  throw  himself  into  the  saddle 
with  such  an  air  of  command  as  he  had  not  worn  in  the 
years  since  Bosworth  fight. 


"So,  sirrah,  thou  hast  come  at  last?"  said  my  father 
angrily,  as  I  rode  up.  "Where  hast  thou  been  ?  Here 
be  thy  brother  come  from  court  with  a  goodly  company  ; 
thy  father  bidden  straightway  to  Berkeley  Castle,  where 
the  King  doth  this  day  come,  whereto  it  graciously  arrides 
the  Queen  to  ask  thy  mother  also  ;  and  thou  wert  bidden 
of  courtesy,  hadst  thou  been  here  to  tire  thyself  and  make 
ready  for  such  honor,  instead  of  rioting  and  wenching  with 
the  scum  of  fishers  and  mariners  in  the  town,  as  I  warrant 
thou  hast  been. " 

"Not  so,  good  sir;  we  were  bidden — the  Father  and 
I " 

"Aye,  the  Father,"  he  interrupted.  "It  beseemeth  me 
that  the  Father  hath  more  interest  in  your  sports  than  in 
your  instruction. " 

"  He  hath  interest  in  both,  Sir  Tudor.  'All  work  and 
no  play, '  your  Honor  knows,  '  maketh  Jack  a  dull  boy, '  " 
said  the  Padre  in  his  soft  voice,  coming  to  my  relief. 

"Quote  me  no  saws,  sir  Priest,"  exclaimed  my  father, 
turning  sharply  on  him.  "  My  son  is  no  longer  a  child. 
You  seem  to  forget  that  he  is  sixteen  and  exceedingly  well 
grown.  If  he  were  to  be  a  soldier,  now,  he  might  have 
use  for  such  thews,  which  in  truth  it  seems  a  pity  to  waste 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA.  89 

upon  a  priest.  Wilt  tell  me  where  ye  were  carousing 
until  this  hour,  since  my  son  seems  little-minded  to  make 
answer  ? " 

"In  truth  it  was  no  carouse,  Sir  Tudor,  but  an  orderly 
and  most  honorable  feast." 

"Aye,  I  warrant  it  was  a  feast  if  thou  wert  to  the  fore. 
Father  Mendez,  I  scruple  to  arraign  thy  conduct  because 
of  thy  holy  calling',  but,  in  truth,  it  hath  occurred  to  me 
many  times,  that  for  a  priest  thou  art  unduly  fond  of  a 
good  cup  of  sack. " 

"  Hast  thou  ever  found  my  wits  dulled  thereby,  Sir 
Tudor  ?  " 

"Perhaps  not  dulled,  but  it  doth  occur  to  me  that  I 
have  seen  them  perceptibly  sharpened." 

"The  Saints  know  there  be  them  that  need  have  their 
wit  sharpened,"  retorted  the  Father. 

"Wilt  tell  me  where  my  son  did  pass  the  night  .'"re 
peated  the  other,  sternly. 

"  Where,  in  faith,  should  he,  but  at  the  house  of  Master 
Heinrich  Flemming,  whither  we  were  bidden  to  meet  a 
most  learned  company,  and  eat  a  modest  dinner." 

"A  Friday  feast!  Codfish  and  herring!  Come  not 
hither,  I  pray  ;  belike  one  may  smell  thy  breath  even  at 
that  distance.  And  whom  did  my  son  meet  at  the  trades 
man's  table  ?  God's  faith,  it  is  time  he  were  looked  after." 

"A  most  goodly  company,  and  well-behaved  as  ever 
sat  at  a  king's  board,  I  do  assure  your  honor  ;  the  wor 
shipful  Master  Flemming,  one  Messer  Colon,  a  navigator 
of  renown,  our  own  Captain  Johan  Caboto,  and  his  sons." 

"Truly,  a  worthy  company,  though  they  be  burghers," 
said  my  father  in  a  mollified  tone.  "I  have  heard  that 
Signor  Caboto  hath  lately  had  strange  adventures,  and 
hath  it  in  mind  to  seek  for  new  lands  after  the  manner  of 
the  Portuguese  navigators." 

"  It  was  of  that  we  did  speak." 

"And  doth  my  son  take  interest  in  such  things?  " 


9o 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 


"Truly,  a  very  great  interest,"  answered  the  Fray, 
warmly. 

"Hark  ye,  Father,"  said  the  other,  sternly,  "I  know 
how  highly  thou  art  esteemed  for  thy  knowledge,  and  how 
eager  thou  art  concerning  these  new  things  that  be  now 
stirring  the  world  as  regards  new  lands  and  strange  peo 
ples.  For  this  I  blame  thee  not ;  it  is  good  that  a  scholard 
should  know  all  things,  from  Holy  Writ  to  Master  Behem's 
globes,  but  remember  this  :  I  am  minded  that  my  son  be 
a  priest,  not  a  navigator,  and  I  would  have  him  taught 
accordingly." 

"Sir  Tudor,"  said  the  good  Father,  with  quiet  dignity, 
"  the  lad  hath  his  own  life  to  live,  and  is  in  truth  the  son 
of  his  father.  Whatsoever  I  might  do  to  incline  him  to 
thy  wish,  that  I  have  done.  If  thou  thinkest  another 
might  do  more,  thou  hast  but  to  speak.  But  I  warn  thee 
it  is  an  ill-rider  that  curbs  a  raw  steed. " 

My  father  flashed  a  swift  glance  at  me,  where  I  sat 
sullenly  pulling  my  horse  and  gazing  at  my  brother, 
who  in  light  armor,  at  the  head  of  a  dozen  sturdy  followers 
in  the- uniform  of  his  troop,  for  he  had  recently  been  given 
command  of  one  of  the  King's  companies  of  cannoneers 
and  had  nigh  a  thousand  men  under  him,  waited  my 
father's  leave  to  address  me. 

"Sits  the  wind  so  ?  "  said  my  father,  musingly.  "  Per 
haps  thou  art  in  the  right,  Father.  If  it  please  you,  ride 
with  me.  I  would  have  further  speech  with  you  anent 
this  matter.  You,  sirrah,  salute  your  brother.  Doth  he 
not  make  a  gallant  captain  ? '' 

In  my  excitement  I  had  reined  in  my  horse,  a  young 
barb  of  splendid  parts,  which  no  one  else  had  ever  backed, 
until,  unable  to  endure  the  hurt,  he  leaped  into  the  air  in 
a  fierce  attempt  to  unseat  his  rider.  I  had  dropped  my 
feet  out  of  the  stirrups  while  receiving  my  father's  rebuke, 
but  I  was  not  to  be  easily  unseated,  even  by  an  angry 
and  it  was  not  many  seconds  before  I  had  my  horse 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA.  91 

under  full  control,  and  riding  up  beside  my  brother,  took 
his  outstretched  hand. 

"Well  done!  Well  done!"  he  exclaimed.  "Verily 
thou  art  a  lad  of  goodly  parts,  I  misdoubt  if  any  man  in 
my  troop  could  have  handled  that  black  stallion  in  such  a 
temper  so  easily  as  thou.  By  God's  death,  sir, "  he  cried, 
addressing  our  father,  "why  not  stop  worrying  the  lad  to 
be  a  priest,  and  let  him  be  a  soldier,  for  which  the  good 
God  evidently  made  him  ?  With  that  seat  and  that  horse 
he  would  soon  crowd  his  brother  in  the  race  for  the  King's 
favor. " 

Hardly  had  he  spoken,  when  I  was  off  my  horse  and 
kneeling  at  my  father's  stirrup. 

"How  now,  sirrah?  What  means  this?  Dost  think 
thou  art  still  masquerading  with  the  cits  and  sailors  ?  " 

"  I  crave  leave,  sir,  to  be  a  soldier  and  a  knight,  even 
as  my  father,"  I  replied. 

"A  soldier !"  he  rejoined,  not  without  a  trace  of  ap 
probation  in  his  voice.  "Look  ye,  sirrah,  if  you  mean 
this  for  a  joke,  it  is  a  cod  equal  to  the  biggest  of  Messer 
Caboto's  catch  ;  but  I  like  not  jesting  with  serious  things. 
Thou  knowest  thou  wert  designed  for  the  Church  from 
the  very  first." 

"  I  have  no  vocation  to  be  a  priest." 

"Vocation?  Tut,  tut!  Hast  thou  turned  Lollard  to 
expect  a  call  from  out  the  sky  ?  Thou  wcrt  dedicate  to 
the  Church  for  thy  mother's  sake.  She  hath  soldiers 
enough  already." 

"  By  your  leave,  my  good  lord,"  interposed  my  mother, 
riding  up  on  the  other  side  of  him  on  her  white  palfrey, 
"  I  would  I  had  another  such." 

"Another?  Thou  dost  forget,  Madame,  how  few  such 
soldiers  as  thy  sons  there  are." 

He  flashed  a  glance  of  pride  at  Edward,  which,  in  good 
sooth,  was  well  deserved.  The  young  captain  of  the 
King's  train  was  indeed  a  soldier  to  win  a  man's  eye 


9 2  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

or  a  woman's  heart.  Fair-faced,  with  golden  hair  curling 
over  his  ruff,  square  shoulders,  slender  in  the  loin,  with 
legs  that  sloped  to  his  ankle,  and  a  foot  that  touched  his 
stirrup  as  lightly  but  as  firmly  as  his  hand  rested  upon  the 
rein.  I  was  proud  of  his  manly  beauty  and  knew  his 
reputation  for  skill,  but  I  was  strangely  angered  that  he 
was  esteemed  before  me,  for  I  felt  confidence  in  my  own 
superior  bodily  powers.  • 

"Did  mother  ever  underrate  her  sons?  And  am  I  so 
poor  a  judge  of  a  soldier  who  have  had  so  fair  an  ensample  ? 
Nay,  my  lord,  I  misprize  them  not,  but  thou  dost  ill- 
judge  that  other  son  who  kneeleth  at  thy  stirrup.  My 
word  for  it,  at  their  years  he  will  match  any  child  of  thy 
loins  in  skill  and  strength. " 

"Faith,  my  lord,  I  do  believe  she  speaketh  truly/'  said 
my  brother.  "  Remember,  thi  lad  lacketh  four  years  of  a 
score,  and  he  hath  a  grip  like  a  bear,  as  my  fingers  can 
testify,  and  a  seat  like  a  centaur,  as  all  may  see." 

"How  old  wert  thou  when  we  fought  at  Bos  worth  ?" 
retorted  my  father,  sternly. 

"Not  so  old  as  some  I  pinked,  mayhap,"  answered 
Edward,  lightly;  "but  thou  dost  forget  what  training  I 
had.  I  doubt  if  even  then  I  had  such  thews  as  our 
Arthur  here.  He  hath  a  hand  for  Excalibur. " 

"And  a  heart  fit  to  wield  it,"  said  my  mother,  stoutly. 

"Fudge!  Fudge!"  exclaimed  my  father,  "It  taketh 
something  more  than  thews  to  make  a  soldier.  The  lad 
hath  been  a  priest  from  the  cradle,  and  would  faint  if  he 
saw  a  sword  pointed  at  his  gorget.  Hey  !  what  hast 
thou  to  say  for  thyself,  sirrah  ?  " 

I  rose  and  stood  before  him  with  bowed  head  : 

"By  your  leave,  my  lord,  I  will  prove  the  truth  of  all 
my  mother  says,  and  show  myself  the  peer  of  any  man 
within  the  court,  saving  your  honored  self,  witli  any 
weapon  he  may  choose,  from  single-stick  to  lance — on 
foot  or  on  horseback,  here  and  now/' 


6t7T  OF  THE  SUNSET  SkA.  93 

"Stop!  Stop!"  exclaimed  my  father.  "Dost  thou 
not  know  that  is  a  mortal  challenge  ? " 

"So  much  the  better;  thou  shalt  know  I  am  no 
coward." 

"Thou  art  gently  bred  and  canst  not  ruff  it  like  a 
swashbuckler." 

"  Marry,  I  have  no  need  to  be  told  as  much." 

"  But  thy  brother,  dost  thou  reflect, — the  King's  cap 
tain  and  the  best  swordsman  in  the  army  ?  " 

"Give  me  a  sword  and  I  will  fight  him,  foot  to  foot." 

"But  thou  art  unpracticed,  raw.  Thy  brother  would 
spit  thee  ere  thou  couldst  stand  on  guard  !  " 

"There  be  worse  things,"  I  answered,  sullenly. 

"An'  thou  knewest  the  very  least  of  the  art  offence,  I 
would  gladly  be  the  leech  to  diminish  thy  choler  by  a 
little  blood-letting,  lad,"  said  my  brother,  pleasantly. 

"It  is  not  my  fault  that  I  do  not  wear  a  sword,"  I 
answered,  hotly.  "An'  I  did,  thou  wouldst  not  bait  me 
thus. " 

' '  God's  death,  the  young  cockerel  ruffs  it  bravely  !  I 
see  not,  Edward,  but  thou  wilt  have  to  cut  his  comb." 

"But  I  cannot  fight  with  an  unarmed  man, "  laughed 
my  brother. 

"True,  true  ;  come  hither,  sirrah.  An'  thou  wilt  fight, 
thou  shalt  be  accoutered  like  a  gentleman.  Here,  bend 
thy  head  if  thy  neck  be  not  too  stiff.  There,"  he  con 
tinued,  as  he  took  the  wide  silken  baldric  from  his  shoul 
der  and  threw  it  over  mine,  "thou  hast  a  blade  at  thy 
hand  as  good  as  ever  come  out  of  Toledo.  Remember,  it 
was  a  King's  gift.  God  send  thou  wear  it  not  to  thy  hurt !  " 

I  drew  forth  the  blade  and  kissed  it,  then  slung  it  back 
into  the  scabbard  and  faced  my  brother. 

"Faith,  lad,  I  have  little  relish  for  the  task  thou  settest 
me.  It  is  ill  pitting  so  old  a  soldier  against  one  who 
never  felt  sword'upon  his  hip  before.  Yet  I  am  glad  thou 
didst  not  make  retraxit. " 


94 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 


He  slid  easily  from  his  horse  as  he  spoke,  and  advanced 
towards  me  with  his  hand  upon  his  sword-hilt. 

"  Corselet  against  doublet, "  said  a  young  soldier  with 
a  quiet  laugh. 

"True,"  said  my  father.  "Thou  will  have  to  doff  thine 
armor,  Captain  ;  it  were  unfair  else." 

"That  were  some  trouble,  but  thou  art  right.  Come 
hither,  sirrah,"  beckoning  to  his  groom,  "and  unlace  me 
speedily." 

"Edward — Arthur — I  do  forbid!"  exclaimed  my 
mother. 

"This  is  matter  for  men,  my  lady,"  said  my  father, 
curtly. 

"Good,  my  lord,"  my  mother  responded  with  gentle 
dignity.  "No  man  of  honor  draweth  in  a  lady's  presence 
but  by  her  leave  or  in  her  behalf.  These  are  my  sons, 
in  duty  bound  alway  to  court  my  favor  and  perform  my 
wish,  next  to  the  King's  behest.  And  on  their  love  and 
duty  I  do  enjoin  them  both  never  to  raise  point  against 
the  other." 

"Thy  Edward  hath  a  soldier's  honor  as  well  as  a  son's 
duty. " 

"True,  and  Arthur  hath  much  provocation  but  no 
malice.  I  bid  him,  therefore,  from  his  challenge  to  except 
his  brother." 

"  Fear  not,  Madame.  I  am  sure  that  Edward  had  not 
harmed  thy  priestling,  save  by  some  mischance,"  said  my 
father,  with  that  bitterness  he  always  used  in  speaking  of 
me. 

"Nay,  good  my  lord,  I  did  not  fear  for  him — or  rather 
I  did  fear  for  both.  The  lad  is  a  man  and  must  take  a 
man's  chances.  He  hath  a  stout  arm  and  a  brave  heart. 
If  any  other  gentleman  choose  to  cross  swords  with  him 
I  make  no  demur." 

"How  say  you,   Ensign,'' said  my  brother  to  his  nc:;t 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA.  95 

in  command,  "  art  thou  minded  to  take  up  thy  Captain's 
quarrel  ?  " 

"An"  you  put  it  so.  I  have  aye  good  stomach  for  a 
bit  of  sword-play,  as  thou  knowest,  but  on  what  terms  ?  I 
cannot  say  I  understand  the  quarrel  ;  is  it  a  I'outrance  j3" 

"A  I'outrance  ?  No,  indeed.  The  boy  seeks  to  prove 
his  courage  ;  I  to  maintain  my  skill.  If  he  stands  before 
thy  blade  and  is  not  disarmed  or  thou  hast  not  his  life  at 
thy  point,  ere  one  can  count  an  hundred  twice,  or  if  the 
lad  give  thee  a  fair  touch  drawing  blood — why,  look  ye,  he 
hath  won,  and  I  do  admit  his  vaunt :  otherwise  he  shall 


make  amende  to  us  both.  Approve  you  those  terms,  my 
lady  mother? " 

"  He  shall  wear  my  favor  who  doth  win,"  she  answered, 
calmly. 

My  father  looked  at  her  in  surprise.  The  young  soldier, 
bowing  to  my  mother,  sprang  from  his  horse  and  while 
his  helmet  was  unlaced,  my  brother  sauntered  towards  me 
and  said  : 

"Thou  hast  a  sorry  chance,  lad,  for  he  is  as  pretty  a 
fence  as  there  be  in  my  company.  Nevertheless,  I  love 
thee  that  thou  standest  well  thy  ground.  When  thy 


96  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

swords  touch  follow  his  with  thy  point  and  his  eye  with 
thine,  and  may  the  Virgin  givethee  luck.  Now,"  he  added 
drawing  a  line  in  the  sand  between  us  with  his  sword's 
point,  "I  will  see  that  there  is  fair-play." 

He  stood  at  the  side,  his  sword  extended  between  us. 

' '  Ready  !  "  We  drew  our  swords.  ' '  Now,  One  !  Two  ! 
Allez  !  " 

His  sword  flashed  upward  and  our  blades  met.  I  was 
not  wholly  ignorant  of  the  art  of  fence  which  was  just 
coming  in  vogue  from  foreign  lands.  My  friend  Bastien 
Caboto  had  learned  it  in  Italy,  and  on  a  voyage  the  year 
before  had  brought  back  a  Greek  whose  too  great  skill 
with  the  new  weapon  had  made  it  dangerous  for  him 
to  longer  abide  in  Florence.  He  was  not  a  soldier,  but 
one  of  those  who  juggle  with  a  sword's  point  with  a  skill 
that  smacks  of  magic.  I  had,  in  a  way,  become  his 
patron  and  was  his  favorite  pupil.  Through  the  favor  of 
my  tutor  I  had  managed  to  keep  all  knowledge  of  this 
from  my  father  ;  from  my  mother  I  had  never  cared  to 
keep  anything  back,  and  she  had  more  than  once  wit 
nessed  my  exercise,  being  as  anxious  as  I  that  I  should 
escape  a  clerical  life. 

"God's  death!"  exclaimed  my  antagonist,  when  we 
had  felt  each  other's  wrists  a  moment,  and  he  had  missed 
a  clever  thrust  in  tierce.  "  Wert  thou  born  a  swordsman  ? 
His  touch  is  as  light  as  thine,  Captain,  and  his  wrist  as 
supple.  Thou  didst  beguile  me  with  the  tale  of  an 
unpracticed  lad  !  " 

"In  sooth,  the  cockerel  crowed  not  without  reason," 
said  my  father  with  unconscious  approval,  as  the  conflict 
ran  not  wholly  in  the  soldier's  favor.  He  had  given  me 
no  chance  to  acquire  skill  in  such  exercise  since  my  boy 
hood,  but  was  not  without  satisfaction  in  the  thought  that 
I  was  not  overmatched. 

We  fenced  in  the  Italian  style,  both  because  I  wore  no 
armor  and  because  a  few  gallants  of  the  court  affected  it, 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA.  r  / 

saving  that  we  clutched  our  scabbards  in  our  left  hands 
instead  of  the  dirks  of  the  Italians.  I  had  rather  it  had 
been  the  cut  and  thrust,  which  would  have  given  my 
heavier  Toledo  blade  advantage  over  the  lighter  rapier  of 
my  opponent,  but  his  quivering  point  left  no  opening  for 
a  blow.  At  first  he  sought  only  to  disarm  me,  but  finding 
himself  less  unequally  matched  than  he  had  expected,  he 
changed  his  tactic  and  sought  to  inflict  a  wound.  For 
myself,  I  was  at  first  almost  delirious  with  joy.  The  ring 
of  the  lithe  blades  was  music  to  my  ears.  The  blue  light 
that  quivered  about  them  was  brighter  to  my  eyes 
than  diamond  flashes.  How  I  loved  the  man  who  pressed 
my  guard  with  such  ceaseless  pertinacity  !  I  almost 
wished  he  might  win.  so  beholden  did  I  feel  to  him  for  this 
opportunity.  Yet  I  did  not  mean  that  he  should  win,  and 
when  I  had  gotten  over  my  exaltation  I  returned  with  ardor 
his  attack,  which  had  begun  to  flag  from  lack  of  breath. 
At  length,  as  if  we  were  of  one  mind,  there  was  a  simul 
taneous  attack.  Our  blades  slid  along  each  other  like 
two  steely  serpents.  His  pierced  the  puffed  sleeve  of  my 
doublet,  and  I  felt  it  cut  into  the  flesh  of  my  outer  arm. 
Never  had  I  known  a  sensation  so  sweet  as  its  sharp 
sting  !  I  could  have  kissed  the  wound  which  was  the  seal 
of  a  manhood  denied  and  contemned  by  its  author. 

At  the  same  time  there  came  to  me  another  sensation 
equally  strange  and  even  more  rapturous  to  one  who  had 
dreamed  all  his  lifelong  of  battle,  but  never  before  felt  the 
thrill  of  triumph  over  an  actual,  earnest  opponent.  How 
my  heart  bounded  with  delight  as  I  saw  and  felt  my  point 
touch  his  breast  !  With  what  mad  joy  I  pressed  it  home, 
unmindful  of  my  own  hurt,  feeling  the  ruptured  fiber 
yield  as  it  sank  deeper  and  deeper  into  the  riven  pectoral ! 
The  rush  of  impact  carried  him  off  his  feet.  I  drew  back 
my  blade  as  he  fell  and  saw  its  point  crimsoned  with 
blood.  I  could  have  kissed  it,  had  it  been  within  my 
reach  ! 

7 


98  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

My  brother  lifted  up  the  fallen  man,  while  Fray  Mendez 
tore  open  his  doublet  to  examine  the  wound.  It  was  not 
dangerous,  though  he  had  fainted  from  the  hurt,  and  the 
good  Father  declared  that  he  must  not  mount  his  horse  for 
some  days.  Thereupon,  my  mother  gave  directions  for 
his  resting,  and  dismounting  from  her  palfrey  went  her 
self  to  see  that  everything  was  prepared  for  his  comfort. 
My  father  had  watched  me  keenly  all  the  while.  I  wiped 
the  blood  from  his  sword  and,  returning  it  to  its  sheath, 
handed  it  back  to  him. 

'•  It  is  thine,"  said  he,  waving  it  aside.  "Thou  hast 
held  it  well,  and  until. thou  dost  enter  on  thy  vocation  thou 
deservest  to  wear  a  fair  bit  of  steel. " 

The  pleasure  of  the  gift  was  destroyed  by  the  condition 
attached.  As  I  threw  the  gay  baldric  again  over  my 
shoulder,  my  heart  was  heavy  despite  my  triumph,  and  I 
hardly  cared  for  it,  when  one  who  had  ridden  into  the  court 
unperceived, touched  me  with  a  white  wand  and  said  : 

"  I  arrest  thee  in  the  King's  name  !  " 

"And  for  what  cause,  Sir  Proctor?"  asked  my  father, 
sharply,  his  hand  moving  instinctively  to  the  spot  where  he 
was  wont  to  have  a  sword.  "  Ho,  Thomas  !  "  addressing 
the  armorer,  "bring  me  another  sword — the  Moorish 
blade  which  was  presented  me  by  the  minister  of  their 
Spanish  Majesties.  It  is  heavier  than  the  fashion  is,  but 
it  will  do." 

"Wilt  thou  resist  the  King's  officer  ?  "  asked  the  Proctor 
in  amaze. 

"Resist!"  quoth  my  father,  angrily.  "Indeed,  I 
thought  not  of  it  ;  but,  now  thou  speakest  on't,  I  would 
have  thee  know  that  a  white  stick  and  a  black  cloak 
be  not  sufficient  authority  for  such  act.  Where  be  thy 
warrant,  and  what  crime  dost  thou  allege  against  my 
son  ?  " 

"Mine  office  be  my  warrant,  and  the  wounding  of  the 
King's  officer  the  crime." 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA.  99 

"  It  was  but  a  mishap,"  said  my  brother. 

"Chance-medley  be  a  crime,  if  there  be  such  result," 
answered  the  officer. 

"Fudge  !  "  exclaimed  the  young  Ensign  sitting  up  and 
speaking  glibly  to  hide  his  hurt.  "What  business  is  it 
of  thine  ?  It  is  but  a  pin-scratch  at  the  best,  and  the 
chance-medley,  if  thou  callst  it  so,  was  my  notion  and 
not  his.  In  truth,"  said  he,  turning  contemptuously 
away,  "  I  did  but  fall  upon  his  point  at  worst." 

' '  If  this  be  so —     "  said  the  Proctor,  dubiously. 

"An'  thou  doubtcst  it,"  retorted  the  Ensign,  hotly,  "I 
will  prove  it  on  thy  carcass  the  first  time  I  catch  thee 
with  thy  stick  out  of  hand. " 

"  In  faith,  gentlemen —     •"  he  began,  apologetically. 

"Get  thce  gone  !  "  said  my  father,  sternly,  pointing  to 
the  gate.  "  Thou  didst  strain  the  privilege  of  thy  office 
and  the  law  protects  thee  not  afterwards.  Thou  hadst 
a  right  to  make  arrest  for  a  crime  committed  in  thy 
sight,  but  this,  if  it  were  a  crime,  thou  didst  not  see." 

"  He  was  wiping  the  blood  from  his  blade,  and  the 
law  giveth  me  authority  where  one  be  taken  red-handed," 
answered  the  other. 

"  Get  thee  gone  with  thy  quibbles  !  "  repeated  my  father. 
"There  be  no  law  to  forbid  one  wiping  the  blade  he 
wears  whenever  and  wheresoever  he  may  choose  !  " 

"But  I  saw  enough  to  certify  me  that  a  blow  had  been 
struck,"  protested  the  officer. 

"An'  thou  saw  no  blow,  thou  hast  exceeded  thine  of 
fice  and  become  a  trespasser — a  thing  not  many  would 
account  it  safe  to  risk  within  the  pale  of  Sir  Tudor  Lake's 
demesne. " 

"But  the  King —    -"  stammered  the  officer  in  confusion. 

"The  King  needeth  better  men  to  serve  him.  Go!" 
And  my  father  pointed  to  the  gate  of  the  courtyard. 

"  But  the  King  hath  sent  thee  a  message — 

"  Deliver  thy  message  and  begone  !  " 


loo  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

"The  King  biddeth  thee  with  thy  goo.l  lady,  both  thy 
sons,  and  such  attendants  as  beseems  thy  honor  and  con 
venience,  to  meet  him  at  Hawkesbury  Cross  about  the 
hour  of  twelve  this  day,  and  wend  with  him  to  Berkeley 
Castle,  where  he  bides  the  night  ;  since  he  would  consult 
with  one  so  faithful  to  his  crown  concerning  matters  of 
weighty  import.  All  of  which  I  do  deliver,  truly,  as  to 
me  entrusted  by  his  Royal  Majesty." 

All  hats  were  doffed  when  the  messenger  began  to  re 
hearse  the  royal  summons,  and  when  it  was  concluded 
my  father  made  answer  : 

"Our  duty  to  his  Grace,  to  whom  thou  wilt  report 
that  we  will  not  fail  of  his  behest.  I  may  not  ask  thee  to 
dismount,  after  the  affront  thou  hast  put  upon  my  son, 
but  wherewithal  to  break  thy  fast  and  quench  thy  thirst 
a  servant  will  bring.  God  save  our  sovereign  lord 
King  Henry  the  Seventh,  and  a  safe  journey  to  his  mes 
senger.  " 

Turning  to  me,  he  held  out  his  hand  and  said  : 

"I  did  thee  wrong,  my  son,  and  crave  thy  pardon. 
Thou  hast  a  brave  heart  and  a  stout  hand.  It  is  a  pity 
thou  must  be  a  priest." 

"  A  priest !  "  echoed  my  brother,  as  he  pressed  forward 
to  take  my  hand.  "  May  the  barber  that  seeks  to  shave 
his  poll  fall  upon  his  point  !  I  say  a  soldier  and  in  my 
troop  !  Ensign  Francis  Mildmay  hath  already  asked  that 
he  be  made  his  subaltern. " 

"  It  may  not  be,"  answered  my  father,  seriously.  "  I 
made  a  vow — while  I  lay  at  Tewkesbury  sorely  smitten — 
a  vow  to  Mary  Mother,  that  one  of  my  sons  should  be 
dedicate  to  a  religious  life." 

"The  Holy  Father  can  dispense  with  vows,"  said 
Father  Mendez,  who  was  applying  some  medicament  to 
the  wound  in  my  arm,  which,  albeit  only  a  scratch,  he 
assured  me  would  be  "uncomfortably  stiff  on  the 
morrow. " 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA.  101 

"And  the  King  hath  too  great  need  of  soldiers  to  permit 
so  good  an  one  to  be  a  priest,"  put  in  my  brother. 

"  And  thou  couldst  not  have  meant  this  son,  of  whom 
thou  hadst  no  knowledge  then,''  insisted  my  mother. 

Still  my  father  shook  his  head. 

"I  will  appeal  to  the  King  for  release  from  thy  com 
mandment,"  I  exclaimed,  most  indiscreetly. 

"An'  thou  dost,  thou  art  no  son  of  mine  !  " 

"  But  we  may  petition  the  Holy  Father?  "  pleaded  my 
mother. 

"Neither  King  nor  Pontiff  hath  power  to  unsay  my 
words,"  said  my  father,  moodily.  "  But  we  have  tarried 
too  long.  Wilt  have  thy  fellow  sound  to  horse  ?  "  he 
asked  my  brother.  They  were  in  the  saddle,  all  but  my 
mother,  who  was  holding  my  hand,  when  my  father 
turned  and  said  more  gently  than  was  his  wont  when 
speaking  to  me  : 

"  Hark  ye,  Arthur  ;  an'  Thomas  can  fit  thee  with  a  suit 
of  armor — there  is  a  suit  of  Milan  chain  would  become 
him  well,  Thomas — an'  thy  mother  can  tire  thee  suitably ; 
thou  mayst  follow  with  her  and  Thomas  within  the  hour. 
We  will  journey  slowly,  and  if  need  be  wait  at  Chipping 
Cross,  thy  coming.  Prithee,  Madame,  let  his  Grace  see 
thy  youngest  fittingly  arrayed. " 


IT  would  be  vain  to  think  of  telling  my  joy  at  this  un 
expected  arrangement.  As  the  little  company  filed  out  of 
the  courtyard  and  went  clattering  down  the  hillside  into 
Golden  Valley,  Fray  Mendez  riding  at  my  father's  side,  I 
stood  looking  after  them  in  dazed  surprise.  Was  I  per 
mitted  to  follow  them  ;  to  go  to  the  gay  court ;  to  be  a 
man  and  measure  myself  with  other  men  ?  I  felt  the 
strength  of  a  thousand,  and  already  tasted  the  sweets  of 
victory. 

"Come,  my  son,"  said  my  mother,  laying  her  hand 
softly  on  my  arm,  "bestir  thyself!  There  is  much  to  do 
an'  thou  wouldst  follow  them." 

I  caught  her  hand  and  kissed  it.  I  fear  there  were  tears 
in  my  eyes  despite  my  new-proved  manfulness.  My  mother 
made  some  laughing  remark,  whereat  I  kissed  her  on  the 
lips,  and  passing  my  arm  around  her,  went  within.  My 
sweet  mother  !  She  had  ever  been  both  mother  and  sweet 
heart  to  me,  and  at  that  moment  the  anticipated  pleasure 
of  going  to  court  was  almost  eclipsed  by  the  rapture  of 
having  her  all  to  myself.  The  silver  was  showing  in  her 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 


103 


golden  hair,  but  it  seemed  as  if  the  bloom  of  youth  had 
come  again  into  her  face. 

Never  did  lady  feel  more  trepidation  eibout  the  fit  of  her 
apparel  than  I  at  that  first  tiring.  And  when  it  was  done, 
and  I  saw  myself  in  the  glass  my  mother  held  before  me 
to  aid  my  self-inspection,  I  am  sure  none  ever  felt  more 
gratified  vanity  or  greater  desire  to  set  forth  for  conquest. 

"Thou  art  thy  father  over  again,"  said  my   mother  as 
she  placed  the  baldric  over   my  shoulder  while  I  knelt 
before  her.     "  Pray  God,  thou 
wear  the  blade  his  King  gave 
him  with  not  less  honor  than 
he  hath  borne  it  !  " 

We  met  a  company  of 
Bristol  burghers  on  the  way, 
who  had  come  forth  to  meet 
the  King's  train  and  beseech 
his  Majesty  to  visit  his  castle 
on  the  Avon  and  grant  his 
loyal  burgesses  of  the  second 
port  in  his  kingdom  oppor 
tunity  to  attest  their  devo 
tion.  But,  as  it  chanced,  the 
borough  had  but  lately  prof 
fered  a  demand  for  greater  privilege  and  release  from 
certain  rating,  which  met  not  the  royal  pleasure,  either 
because  he  thought  it  too  much  to  grant  or  because  of  the 
manner  of  its  preferment.  So  he  refused  the  visitation 
they  desired  with  sharp  words. 

Somehow,  I  was  not  as  dazzled  by  the  royal  cortege  as 
I  had  expected  to  be,  though  it  was  a  new  thing  for  me  to 
be  in  such  honorable  society  and  feel  myself  a  part  of  it. 
A  goodly  company  were  gathered  at  the  Cross  to  greet 
their  Majesties  and  journey  in  their  train  to  Berkeley  Cas 
tle,  as  was  meet  and  proper.  The  King's  retainers  halted, 
and  the  most  considerable  among  those  in  waiting,  rode 


104  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

up  and  saluted  their  Majesties  where  they  sat  on  their 
horses  at  the  head  of  the  escort.  King  Henry  honored 
my  father  with  his  hand,  and  the  Queen  complimented  my 
mother  prettily,  referring  to  the  tradition  of  her  youthful 
beauty  still  prevailing  at  the  court,  as  a  fair  woman 
whose  charms  are  yet  fresh,  loves  to  do  with  one  of  the 
same  style,  who,  though  yet  fair,  hath  somewhat  passed 
her  prime.  Had  my  mother  been  dark  rather  than  light, 
I  doubt  if  the  golden-haired  Elizabeth  had  thought  to  say  : 

"  I  do  assure  thee,  Madame,  that  the  court  hath  not  yet 
ceased  to  tell  of  the  beauty  of  Mistress  Alvisa  Stratton  ; 
and  faith,  I  think  they  have  good  reason." 

What  gentle  woman  would  not  blush  even  with  the 
envious  sun  of  her  fiftieth  year  glaring  in  her  eyes,  at  such 
words  from  a  queen  ?  My  mother  was  modest  as  she  was 
fair,  and  the  flush  this  compliment  brought  flamed  like  a 
signal  of  sweet  content  on  her  fair  cheeks  all  day  long,  as 
I  rode  beside  her  in  the  royal  train,  which  ambled  easily 
along,  and  many  an  old  courtier  and  young  gallant  made 
occasion  to  pay  their  court  to  one  on  whom  royalty  had 
smiled. 

I  thought  then  it  was  because  she  was  so  fair  and  sweet  ; 
I  know  now  that  the  fact  that  her  husband  rode  at  the 
King's  side  and  with  him  held  serious  converse,  had  much 
to  do  with  the  deference  shown  his  wife.  Men  were  wor 
shipping  the  rising  sun  rather  than  the  setting  star. 

But  my  stay  at  court  was  short.  That  very  night,  when 
the  revelry  at  Castle  Berkeley  was  over,  I  was  summoned 
to  the  royal  presence.  Never  had  England  so  great  a 
King  before  as  this  Seventh  Henry.  Perhaps  his  Welsh 
blood  steadied  him,  or  his  dubious  French  lineage  gave 
him  clearness  of  vision.  Whatever  may  have  been  the 
cause,  he  realized  that  the  hope  of  a  Tudor  dynasty 
depended  on  the  wisdom  of  the  Tudor  rule,  rather  than 
the  sinister  strain  from  John  of  Gaunt,  or  the  hot  blood  of 
Dowager  Queen  Catherine  which  ran  in  his  veins.  So  he 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 


I05 


made  rulership  his  business  and  study,  and  succeeded,  as 
he  would  have  succeeded  in  any  great  enterprise.  He 
would  have  been  a  successful  soldier  or  statesman  or  mer 
chant,  if  he  had  not  been  a  King  ;  and  being  King  he  was 
all  these  and  no  mean  scholard,  beside.  He  did  not  dazzle 
or  debauch  as  other  monarchs  had  done,  but  realizing 
that  a  king's  strength  lies  in  his  people's  prosperity  and 
the  security  of  his  line  on  their  content,  he  studied  to  know 
the  people  he  ruled,  and  practice  all  the  things  that  tended 
to  peace  and  permanence.  He  believed  three  things  were 
necessary  to  the  perpetuity  of  his  line — a  full  purse,  a 
prosperous  people  and  a 
greater  train  of  artillery 
than  any  enemy  could 
bring  against  him.  For 
those  things  he  strove, 
and  with  these  he  suc 
ceeded  in  his  aims.  The 
greater  nobles  he  curbed  ; 
the  lesser  and  newer 
families  he  promoted  and 
encouraged.  He  found 
England  swayed  by  a 
group  of  lordlings  who 
ruled  the  King  and  plun 
dered  the  people.  He  left 
it  a  state  whose  people 

looked  to  the  King  for  protection  against  the  lords,  and  in 
return  gave  him  always  their  aid  against  his  enemies. 
He  encouraged  peace,  because  it  brought  content,  and 
commerce,  because  it  brought  wealth  ;  kept  down  the  fol 
lowing  of  his  lords  ;  increased  the  train-bands  in  the 
towns  ;  set  his  own  officers  over  them  and  enlarged  con 
tinually  his  train  of  artillery,  because  it  made  him  more 
powerful  than  any  one  could  grow  within  the  realm  and 
more  dangerous  than  any  foe  without  would  care  to  meet. 


io6  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

He  was  at  that  time  in  the  prime  of  life,  hardly  past 
thirty,  but  of  a  singularly  graAre  and  earnest  manner. 
When  I  was  ushered  into  the  great  hall  at  one  end  of  which 
he  sat  upon  a  dais,  which  raised  him  above  the  others  in 
the  room,  a  clerk  sat  on  a  low  stool  at  either  hand,  writing 
whatever  he  was  bidden.  Some  whom  I  recognized  as 
officers  of  the  household  were  standing  by.  I  was  brought 
into  the  presence  by  the  same  officer  who  had  attempted 
my  arrest  in  the  morning.  Neither  my  father  nor  brother 
were  in  the  audience  chamber.  I  caught  sight  of  Father 
Mendez  at  the  lower  end  of  the  room  and  remembered 
that  the  King's  confessor  was  his  friend. 

"I  hear  thou  hast  sorely  wounded  one  of  my  officers, 
sirrah,"  said  the  King,  hardly  acknowledging  my  obei 
sance.  "What  sayest  thou,  is  it  true?  "  He  had  had  a 
weary  day,  and  was  no  doubt  in  ill-temper  ;  but  he  never 
shirked  the  duties  of  his  state. 

"We  did  play  at  fence,  your  Grace,  and  each  got  a 
piece  of  the  other's  blade, "  I  answered. 

"  How  is  this  ?  "  to  the  Proctor.  "You  said  naught  of 
his  having  been  hurt  ?  " 

"Because  I  knew  it  not,  your  Grace,  and  find  it  hard 
to  believe  now,"  replied  the  officer,  with  an  incredulous 
glance.  "  He  made  no  mention  of  it  then." 

"  Why  wert  thou  silent  ?  "  asked  the  King. 

"  I  thought  it  but  a  scratch,  and  knew  not  that  it  con 
cerned  him,  an'  it  were  to  the  quick,"  I  answered. 

I  saw  the  doubt  grow  in  the  King's  eyes. 

"  Perhaps  thou  wilt  show  it  me  ?"he  said,  coldly  ;  "the 
King's  eye,  thou  knowest  hath  power  to  heal  his  people's 
hurts. " 

A  smile  went  round  the  group  of  courtiers  attesting  their 
appreciation  of  the  King's  wit. 

"  An'  your  Grace  doubts  my  word,"  I  said,  feeling  my 
face  flush  as  I  spoke,  "  if  some  one  will  but  unclasp  this 
corslet  thou  shalt  see  whether  I  speak  truth  or  not." 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 


107 


I  know  not  how  the  armor  was  unloosed,  but  when  I 
tore  off  my  doublet  the  blood  dripped  out  upon  the  floor 
and  the  whole  arm  was  covered  with  great  elots.  I  knew 
the  armor  had  chafed  the  wound  all  day  long,  but  I  was 
more  frightened  at  this  display  than  I  had  been  with  the 
hurt  itself. 

''Zounds!"  the  King  exclaimed.  "The  lad  maketh 
good  his  words  with  a  vengeance.  Send  me  a  leech  !  " 

"It  is  nothing,  your  Grace,"  I  said  in  confusion.  "I 
knew  not  that  it  still  bled." 

"The  more  reason  it  should  be  staunched  ;  I  say,  a 
leech  !  " 

Then  Father  Mendez  stepped  forward  and  said  : 

"I  did  examine  the  wound,  your  Grace,  and  though 
it  hath  bled  more  freely  than  might  have  been  expected,  I 
do  assure  your  Royalty  it  is  nowise  dangerous.  The 
blade  did  but  pass  through  the  outer  arm.  The  weight  of 
the  armor,  the  day's  ride  and  the  excitement  have  drawn 
some  blood,  which  will  be  of  service  to  its  healing  rather 
than  any  harm.  When  your  Grace  sees  fit  to  dismiss 
the  lad,  I  will  dress  the  wound  so  that  in  a  week's  time 
one  shall  hardly  find  a  scar." 

"  Well,  my  son,  if  thy  King's  eye  heal  not  the  wound 
in  thy  arm,  it  shall  heal  the  hurt  in  thy  heart,  for  I  do 
openly  confess  I  did  thee  wrong  in  thought." 

He  held  out  his  hand,  which  I  did  kiss  because  I  could 
think  of  nothing  else  to  do  ;  whereat  the  courtiers 
murmured  approval  and  the  King  smiled  his  satisfaction. 
I  knew  I  had  made  a  blunder  which  had  turned  to  my 
profit  ;  but  to  this  day  I  know  not  wherein  the  error  lay, 
for  that  first  lesson  in  royal  etiquette  was  nigh  my  last, 
until  I  was  too  old  to  learn  the  manners  of  a  court. 

"Good  sooth,  my  son,  thou  hast  in  thee  the  making  of 
a  soldier,  and  I  wonder  not  that  thou  hast  little  inclination 
for  the  life  thy  father  hath  chosen  for  thee. " 

"  I  did  appeal  to  your  Grace,"  I  said. 


io8  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

"So  have  I  heard,  and  I  will  instruct  my  chaplain  to 
beseech  the  Holy  Father  to  grant  thy  wish  and  release 
thy  father  from  his  vow.  In  the  mean  time,  thou  must 
remember  that  a  good  son  maketh  a  good  subject.  There 
be  still  five  years  before  thy  vocation  need  be  determined 
and  thou  must  remember  that  thy  King  hath  need  of 
scholars  as  well  as  soldiers.  Whatever  thy  place  in  life 
may  be,  take  a  King's  word  for  it,  that  knowledge  will 
do  thee  no  harm.  They  tell  us  there  be  new  worlds  that 
even  now  are  being  parceled  out  between  other  kingdoms, 
and  if  it  prove  true,  by  God's  death,  England  had  need  be 
ready  to  claim  her  part  and  hold  it,  too.  Scholars  and 
navigators  who  can  handle  sword  and  train  cannon  as 
well,  will  be  needed  to  make  good  our  title  to  new  realms 
ere  long,  or  I  do  mistake.  Whether  thou  wilt  be  priest 
or  soldier  in  the  end,  God  knoweth  ;  but  thou  wilt  make 
no  worse  priest  for  being  a  good  soldier,  and  no  worse 
soldier  for  being  taught  a  priest's  faith  and  duty. 

"So  I  do  adjudge,  my  son,  that  thou  shalt  remain 
complaisant  to  thy  father's  wish  under  charge  of  the 
learned  Fray  Mendez  until  my  farther  will  be  made  known 
to  thee.  And  this  I  do  the  more  willingly  command, 
because  I  have  need  of  thy  father  for  some  season,  and 
it  behooveth  that  he  have  one  to  represent  him  in  the 
care  of  his  estate,  and  to  comfort  thy  mother,  who  liketh 
not  to  share  the  turmoil  of  a  court  which  chooseth  not  a 
steady  abiding-place.  Our  late  Lord  Keeper  hath  spoken 
well  of  thee  and  of  thy  proficiency  in  learning,  and  as  thou 
hast  shown  thyself  so  apt  for  a  soldier's  duty,  I  have 
named  thee  second  in  command  of  a  band  of  trainmen 
to  be  made  up  among  the  burghers  and  apprentices  of 
our  port  of  Bristol,  of  which  thine  antagonist,  the  En 
sign  Mildmay,  hath  been  named  Captain  ;  for  it  behooveth 
the  dwellers  at  our  ports,  not  less  for  their  own  sakes  than 
the  peace  of  our  realm,  to  learn  to  fire  bombards  and  use 
other  engines  of  war.  Thus  we  take  thee  into  our  service, 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA.  109 

yet  leave  thee  at  thy  father's  house,  and  shall  expect  thee  to 
be  not  less  diligent  in  pursuit  of  learning  than  in  thy  duty 
as  a  soldier." 

When  I  tried  to  stammer  forth  my  thanks,  the  King 
cut  me  short  with  the  statement  : 

"  This  we  do  less  from  knowledge  of  thy  merit  than  to 
serve  thy  father,  whose  loyalty  we  have  this  day  recog 
nized,  and  to  pleasure  thy  mother,  who  hath  interceded 
for  our  royal  favor  in  thy  behalf.  Yet  the  fact  that  thou 
hast  wounded  an  officer  of  our  household  cannot  be  passed 
over,  and  we  command  that  you  depart  the  court  to 
morrow  at  the  hour  of  sunrise,  and  come  not  into  our  pres 
ence  again  until  thou  hast  our  express  command.  Thy 
lady  mother  will  return  with  thee.  Thy  father  is  made 
one  of  our  Council,  henceforth,  and  charged  with  impor 
tant  duties." 

I  kissed  the  royal  hand  again  and  retired,  no  longer 
treated  as  a  culprit,  but  honored  as  an  Ensign  in  the 
Royal  guards  and  the  son  of  a  Privy  Councilor,  soon 
to  be  made  president  and  immediate  representative  of 
his  Sovereign  in  the  new  Court  of  the  Star  Chamber,  as  to 
which  there  hath  been  much  complaint  of  late,  not  wholly 
without  cause,  as  I  judge.  With  that  high  office  my  father, 
as  was  fitting,  received  other  honors,  being  raised  to 
the  peerage  with  the  rank  of  baron,  and  the  grant  of  new 
estates  to  support  his  fresh  dignity.  My  brother  Edward 
was  soon  after  knighted  and  given  command  of  all  the 
King's  artillery. 

Two  years  passed  swiftly  away.  Even  my  father, 
when  now  and  then  he  visited  us,  seemed  altogether 
content.  Why  should  he  not  be?  His  life  of  toil  was 
at  length  crowned  with  honors  and  dignities.  My  mother 
was  the  queen  regnant  of  our  fair  valley,  with  subjects 
many  even  in  Bristol  town,  while  I  was  her  chief  serv 
itor,  whose  highest  privilege  was  to  worship  her  perfec 
tions.  My  duties  as  an  officer  were  far  from  onerous, 


1 10  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

and  Captain  Mildmay  was  the  most  obliging-  of  superiors. 
Messer  Colon,  whose  distemper  seemed  to  grow  worse 
rather  than  better,  soon  came  to  dwell  with  us,  and  from 
him  I  learned  all  that  the  good  Fray  had  not  already  taught 
me  about  the  CEcumene  and  whatsoever  was  guessed 
of  lands  that  lay  beyond.  And  here  I  may  say  of 
Barlolomeo  Colon  that  he  hath  been  so  overshadowed 
by  the  fame  of  his  brother,  the  Admiral,  that  the  world 
hath  not  done  him  justice.  He  had  not  the  advantages  his 
elder  brother  had  enjoyed,  as  there  was  never  any  talk 
of  fitting  him  for  the  Church  ;  but  if  his  brother's  designs 
did  not  spring  frpm  his  urging,  which  I  much  misdoubt,  he 
was  as  good  a  navigator  and  a  better  cosmographer  than 
he,  and  withal  a  better,  if  not  a  greater,  man.  Gentle  as 
a  woman  he  was  yet  as  brave  as  a  lion,  and  of  a  loyalty  that 
knew  no  questioning.  Though  not  so  persistent  or  eloquent 
or  assuming  as  the  Admiral,  he  had  better  command  of  the 
arts  of  conciliation  and  a  firmer  though  gentler  hand  in 
the  control  of  men.  He  was  a  soldier  as  well  as  a  navi 
gator,  and  had  the  Admiral  left  to  him  under  the  royal 
license  full  control  of  the  realm  of  Espanola,  and  himself 
continued  to  explore  for  other  lands,  I  doubt  if  ht  would 
have  met  the  mishaps  which  afterwards  befell. 


T  was  many  months  before  the 
treacherous  African  fever  loosed 
its  hold  of  Messcr  Colon,  and 
these  he  passed  about  equally  be 
tween  Master  Flemming's  house 
in  the  town  and  the  fresh  fields  of 
Edgemont.  He  was  very  impa 
tient  of  this  delay,  and  almost 
every  week  he  would  determine 
that  the  next  should  see  him  on  his  way  to  London 
and  the  audience-room  of  King  Henry.  But  the  time 
appointed  would  find  him  worse  perhaps,  rather  than 
better,  for  a  stubborn  cough  set  in  with  the  early  winter, 
and  for  many  weeks  we  feared  that  our  English  hectic 
would  prove  too  much  for  the  gentle  Italian  navigator, 
whose  black  curls  and  great  dark  eyes  were  in  such 
striking  contrast  to  .the  sallow  paleness  of  his  wasted 
cheeks.  We  had  the  most  noted  leeches  in  the  country 
round  to  minister  to  him,  but  nothing  seemed  to  do  any 
good  until  Fray  Mendez  chanced  to  have  a  visitor  about 


H2  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

Midwinter.  This  was  a  young  Dominican  who  had  been 
sent  on  a  mission  of  some  sort,  I  know  not  what,  con 
nected  with  his  order,  to  our  British  land,  and  was  at 
tracted  as  all  learned  men  landing  at  our  port  were  sure 
to  be,  by  the  reputation  of  our  Fray,  who,  indeed,  took 
good  care  that  none  should  pass  that  way  who  had  any 
thing  worth  knowing  to  relate,  without  paying  toll  of  the 
grist  of  knowledge  he  bore. 

The  young  Fray  was  of  a  gentle  Spanish  family,  very 
learned  and  of  the  most  pleasing  manner.  His  name  was 
Antonio  Montesino.  As  Spanish  was  spoken  almost  as 
freely  at  Edgemontas  our  English  tongue  because  of  Fray 
Mendez'  tutelage,  I  fancy  it  was  a  grateful  refuge  to  the 
young  wanderer.  I  think  now,  though  I  did  not  then 
guess  it,  that  a  part  of  his  mission  may  have  been  to  rec 
oncile  the  son  of  the  Privy  Councilor  to  a  religious  life. 
It  chanced  most  fortunately  that  he  was  especially  learned 
in  the  treatment  of  disease  and  in  the  use  of  certain  reme 
dies  never  before  heard  of  in  our  land.  He  had  visited 
Erlande  with  the  sons  of  Johan  Caboto  in  their  last  voyage, 
and  brought  back  with  him  some  flasks  of  an  oil  extracted 
from  the  livers  of  baccallos,  which  the  people  of  that 
country  claimed  to  have  special  virtue  in  the  cure  of 
hectic.  He  insisted  that  this  with  the  barley-brew  for 
which  Edgemont  was  justly  celebrated,  and  the  wearing 
of  clothes  made  of  sheepskin  to  protect  him  from  the 
rigors  of  our  unaccustomed  clime,  would  restore  Messer 
Colon  to  health  if  he  would  but  content  himself  to  wait 
until  time  should  give  them  full  effect.  Despite  his  im 
patience  the  gentle  navigator  was  so  wasted  that  he  could 
not  well  do  otherwise  ;  so  we  made  him  a  couch  in  the 
great  chamber  above  the  room  where  my  mother  lodged 
in  which  a  great  fire  burned  always  during  the  cold  season 
and  here  we  attended  him  with  much  solicitude.  Sure 
enough,  after  he  had  swallowed  large  quantities  of  the 
stuff,  -which  had  a  smell  and  taste  most  vile,  he  gained 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA.  \  13 

strength  and  appetite,  and  when  the  spring  came  was  like 
a  new  man  in  look  and  color,  though  still  weak  as  a  child. 
Whether  it  were  the  noisome  mixture  which  the  Friar 
Antonio  did  prescribe,  my  mother's  many  possets,  the  un 
dressed  sheepskins,  the  eelskin  jacket  underneath,  the  de 
coction  of  St.  Johnswort  which  Fray  Mendez  did  prepare, 
or  the  beady  ale  he  drank,  I  know  not  ;  but  as  he  grew 
stronger  other  things  occurred  to  hinder  his  journey  and 
keep  him  with  us,  where  he  was  rare  welcome.  My 
mother  loved  him  hardly  less  than  the  others,  as  is  not 
to  be  wondered  at,  considering  how  gentle  he  was  and 
the  many  pleasant  things  he  said  and  did.  For,  if  he 
might  not  stir  abroad,  his  hand  was  seldom  idle,  and 
many  a  pretty  picture  he  drew  of  lands  and  peoples  he 
had  seen,  and  many  a  sea-chart  and  instrument  he  made 
which  the  mariners  of  our  port  did  gladly  buy,  for  they 
did  give  much  aid  in  navigating  unknown  seas. 

The  talk  which  had  taken  place  concerning  the  voyage 
of  Bartolomeo  Diaz,  of  which  he  told  us  all  the  particulars, 
had  stirred  afresh  the  interest  of  our  seafaring  men,  and 
many  of  the  merchants  of  the  port  were  minded  to  repeat 
the  experiment  which  had  been  made  some  years  before 
by  the  rich  merchant,  John  Jay,  and  another,  who  sent 
forth  a  ship  provisioned  at  their  own  expense,  under  com 
mand  of  Thomas  Lloyd,  "  the  most  scientific  mariner  in 
all  England,"  to  discover  "the  Island  of  Brazil,"  which 
was  said  to  lay  to  the  westward  of  Ireland.  He  sailed 
the  sea  back  and  forth,  where  never  craft  had  been  before, 
for  nine  weeks,  when  he  was  driven  home  by  stress  of 
weather,  and  though  he  made  no  actual  discovery,  he 
claimed  to  have  found  things  which  showed  him  of  a 
verity,  not  only  that  lands  lay  to  the  westward,  but  that 
they  were  inhabited,  and  that  whosoever  went  to  them 
might  safely  sail  back.  These  things  he  said  because 
four  hundred  leagues  west  of  the  Irish  coast  he  found 
floating  in  the  sea  a  boat  of  strange  make,  hollowed 


li4  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

out  of  a  single  tree,  though  it  was  upward  of  sixty  feet 
in  length  and  fit  to  carry  two  score  people.  In  it  were 
strange  implements  and  vessels  like  a  gourd  in  shape,  full 
of  sweet  water ;  also  a  piece  of  white  cloth  of  exceed 
ing  fineness,  which  he  judged  had  been  worn  about  the 
loins.  These  things  he  had  minded  to  bring  with  him, 
but,  the  sea  being  very  tempestuous,  he  was  compelled 
to  make  haste  back  to  his  ship,  which  he  regained  with 
difficulty. 

These  tales  were  confirmed  by  the  men  in  the  boat  with 
him,  who  were  all  anxious  to  embark  on  another  voyage 
of  the  same  sort ;  but  their  patron  having  sickened  and 
died  they  found  none  other  willing  to  bear  the  expense. 
This  Thomas  Lloyd,  though  now  infirm  from  the  expo 
sure  incident  to  a  mariner's  life,  had  not  lost  his  interest 
in  such  matters,  and  had  many  things  to  tell  which  I  can 
not  now  recall,  going  to  confirm  the  belief  that  the  west 
ern  sea  might  be  sailed  across  ;  but  whether  the  land 
which  would  be  first  reached  were  the  realm  of  the  Grand 
Khan  or  not  he  greatly  doubted,  thinking  it  more  prob 
able  that  other  lands  intervened  than  that  the  open  sea 
should  stretch  more  than  half-way  round  the  globe.  For 
he  held  that  such  must  be  the  case,  if  the  tales  of  them 
who  had  visited  those  regions  could  be  at  all  relied  on 
as  to  the  distances  they  traveled.  In  this,  it  seemeth,  he 
was  nearer  right  than  all  the  others  of  that  time,  and  so 
well  deserved  the  high  repute  he  had  as  a  navigator. 

Had  these  navigators  been  of  one  mind,  it  be  more  than 
likely  that  King  Henry  might  have  inclined  to  their  prayer 
and  granted  the  aid  they  sought ;  but  he  was  aye  cautious, 
and  not  given  to  favoring  any  man's  vagaries,  the  which 
they  well  knew.  For  this  reason,  Signor  Caboto  and 
Messer  Colon  strove  earnestly  to  agree  upon  what  they 
desired  ;  but  they  were  both  men  of  rugged  natures,  and 
each  had  a  wish  to  secure  full  credit  for  whatever  might 
be  the  result  of  their  venture.  Besides,  Messer  Colon  was 


O UT  Of  T&£  SUNSE  T  SEA.  1 1 5 

specially  charged  with  the  promotion  of  his  brother's 
interest  and  continued  to  demand  the  most  extravagant 
things  in  his  behalf  ;  much  more,  indeed,  than  could  be 
granted  under  our  English  laws,  and  more  than  any 
English  navigator  would  consent  to  see  given  to  one  who 
brought  no  more  assurance  of  success  than  any  mariner 
going  into  an  unknown  sea  might  have.  Indeed,  not  so 
much,  according  to  the  contention  of  Signer  Caboto  and 
Master  Lloyd,  who  held  that  by  sailing  westward  from 
the  Canary  Islands,  according  to  his  desire,  though  he 
might  possibly  reach  land,  he  did  increase  the  likelihood 
of  failure,  since  the  earth's  circumference  was  so  much 
greater  in  the  region  of  the  Circle  of  the  Crab  than  farther 
northward  toward  the  Pole.  For  this  reason,  they  held 
that  the  better  way  to  reach  India  or  any  land  that  lay 
between,  if  such  there  were,  was  to  sail  westward  on  a 
line  as  far  north  as  the  open  sea  might  be  found,  until 
land  was  discovered  ;  then,  assured  of  shelter  and  sup 
plies,  to  follow  the  shore  southward  as  far  as  it  might 
extend  and  return  in  like  manner. 

But  Messer  Colon  was  all  for  the  tropics  and  Cathay. 
Gold  and  precious  stones,  ivory  and  sandalwood  and 
spices  ;  cities  and  thrones  and  ships  and  wharves  and 
castles  and  towers,  were  what  filled  his  dreams.  He 
would  not  seek  barren  climes  and  barbarous  lands,  but 
the  wealth  and  luxury  of  the  Orient.  Of  this  gorgeous 
realm  his  contention  was  that  his  brother  must  be  Viceroy 
in  perpetuo,  and  of  all  the  traffic  and  revenue  therefrom 
derived  have  a  great  share,  it  mattered  not  by  whom  the 
traffic  was  carried  on.  It  is  strange  how  confident  he  was 
of  the  very  nature  and  quality  of  the  lands  he  hoped  to 
discover  and  how  wide  he  was  of  the  truth,  to  which,  in 
deed,  old  Thomas  Lloyd  and  Signor  Caboto  came  much 
nearer.  It  was  well  for  the  Admiral,  however,  that  he 
was  thus  confident  that  the  Canary  Island  route  led 
straight  to  Cipango  and  Cathay.  Had  he  known  that 


ii6  OUT  Of  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

Cathay  was,  in  truth,  half  the  world's  width  beyond  where 
he  guessed  it  to  be,  even  his  fervid  eloquence  had  never 
induced  her  Majesty  of  Castile  to  embark  in  the  venture 
he  proposed.  It  was  gold  to  fill  her  empty  treasure-chests 
and  precious  stones  with  which  to  outshine  her  sister  of 
Portugal,  the  good  Queen  wanted — not  new  realms  and 
naked  peoples  ! 

So  they  argued  pro  and  con,  and  Messer  Colon  made 
beautiful  maps  and  charts,  one  of  which  was  expressly  for 
King  Henry's  eye  and  showed  the  way  his  brother  would 
take  to  reach  Cipango.  But,  withal,  they  could  never 
agree.  When  the  Spring  came  and  it  was  time  to  go  for 
bacallos,  it  was  decided  amongst  them  all,  with  the  utmost 
good  will,  that  Messer  Colon  should  go  before  the  King, 
and  if  he  could  persuade  him  to  his  brother's  terms,  well 
and  good.  If  not,  the  Bristol  merchants  would  form  a 
company,  and  if  they  could  get  the  King's  leave,  would 
send  Signor  Caboto  the  way  he  preferred.  All  of  which 
was  done,  but  not  in  the  time  proposed,  because  in  the 
mean  while,  that  did  happen  which  turned  men's  thoughts 
another  way.  With  Messer  Colon  went  the  young  Fray 
Antonio  Montesino,  much  loved  by  all  who  had  come  to 
know  him.  They  bore  letters  to  the  King,  and  my  father 
promised  to  omit  nothing  in  his  power  that  might  bring 
success  to  their  appeal.  Nevertheless,  his  Grace  some 
how  heard  of  the  variance  between  his  views  and  those  of 
Signor  Caboto,  and  summoned  the  latter  to  court  to  show 
with  chart  and  globe  what  might  be  his  philosophy  of  the 
unknown  seas.  That  the  whole  thing  came  to  naught  is 
little  wonder,  since  besides  having  little  time  for  specula 
tion  in  regard  to  such  matters,  the  King  was  easily  able 
to  see  that  both  talked  of  what  they  guessed  rather  than 
what  they  knew.  Nevertheless,  he  wrote  a  letter  to 
Cristofero,  and  it  is  surmised  that,  if  his  claims  had  been 
less  extravagant,  he  had  made  better  terms  with  our 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA.  117 

English  Henry  than  the  loud-sounding  promises  of  their 
Spanish  Majesties,  made  only  to  be  broken. 

There  was  never  man  more  loyal  to  another  than 
Bartolomeo  Colon  to  his  brother,  the  Admiral  that  was  to 
be.  Of  his  ability  to  do  all  he  hoped,  and  willingness  to 
perform  all  he  promised,  I  do  not  think  the  younger 
brother  had  ever  any  doubt.  That  he  would  show  the 
way  to  India  ;  would  overcome  and  convert  the  Grand 
Khan  ;  make  him  either  a  feudatory  of  some  European 
monarch  or  an  independent  Christian  prince,  and  himself 
become  viceroy  of  realms  more  considerable  in  extent  and 
many  times  greater  in  wealth  than  any  nation  of  Europe, 
he  had  no  more  question  than  he  had  of  the  morrow's 
sunrise.  It  was  amazing  to  note  the  sublime  confidence 
of  this  younger  brother,  himself  just  returned  from  the 
most  notable  voyage  ever  made,  in  the  fortunes  of  one 
now  close  upon  fifty  years  of  age,  who  seemed  to  have 
done  so  little,  yet  claimed  the  ability  to  do  so  much. 
Though  he  talked  much  of  his  brother's  plans  and  pur 
poses,  it  seemed  that  there  was  always  a  reservation  of 
something  he  would  fain  have  said,  but  did  not.  I  noted, 
also,  that  he  seldom  spoke  of  his  brother's  past  achieve 
ments,  but  always  hinted  at  some  secret  he  possessed 
which  made  it  sure  that  he  would  be  able  to  perform  what 
he  promised  in  respect  of  discovering  the  Ind  by  sailing 
westward. 

It  hath  been  conjectured  by  some  that  the  elder  brother 
had  in  some  manner  come  to  know  of  matters  reported  by 
one,  who  through  some  misadventure  had  made  the  passage 
he  proposed  to  attempt,  had  seen  something  of  the  marvels 
of  Darien  and  Mexico,  and  had  kept  some  reckoning;  of 
the  course  and  distance  thither,  which  knowledge  was  not 
given  to  the  world  but  kept  'twixt  Cristofero  and  his  most 
familiar  friends,  either  for  his  own  advantage  or  because 
the  method  by  which  the  same  fell  into  his  hands  would 
not  permit  that  it  should  be  disclosed.  In  no  other  way 


1 1 8  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

can  I  account  for  his  unquestioning-  confidence  in  finding1 
land  within  seven  hundred  and  fifty  leagues  of  the  Cana 
ries,  and  his  confusion  and  indecision  as  regards  all  that 
lay  beyond.  However,  it  boots  not  to  speculate  of  these 
things,  for  if  there  were  such  information  on  his  part, 
there  is  no  doubt  that  all  record  of  it  is  destroyed.  At 
this  time  of  which  I  write,  Bartolomeo  still  believed  in 
it,  and  had  no  doubt  that  his  brother  would  soon  be  more 
wealthy  and  powerful  than  any  sovereign  on  the  earth. 
When  he  parted  from  us  to  go  to  London,  he  gave  into  my 
hands  a  bit  of  parchment  rolled  up  within  a  piece  of  silk 
and  sealed,  which  I  was  to  give  to  his  brother  should 
occasion  ever  offer  to  secure  his  favor.  It  was  this  mes 
sage  which  brought  me  the  distrust  of  the  Admiral  and 
made  him  look  upon  me  ever  after,  as  the  possessor  of 
some  secret  which  might  be  of  evil  consequence  to  him. 
Yet  of  the  contents  of  this  scroll  I  was  in  total  ignorance. 
It  was  soon  after  our  friend's  departure  that  my  mother 
sickened  and  in  a  little  time  had  died.  Though  my  father 
could  never  quite  content  himself  to  dwell  with  her  away 
from  the  turmoil  and  excitement  of  the  court,  I  will  do 
him  the  justice  to  say  that  he  appeared  greatly  put  out  by 
my  mother's  death.  For  my  own  part,  there  seemed 
nothing  left  in  the  world  worth  living  for,  and  when, 
almost  with  her  latest  breath,  she  did  implore  me  to  be 
complaisant  to  my  father's  wish  and  pursue  a  religious 
calling  as  he  desired,  unless  he  should  relent,  I  was  so 
broken  with  sorrow  and  so  anxious  to  be  gracious  to  the 
dear  soul,  that  I  did  promise  submission.  May  the  saints 
assoil  me  of  the  vow  I  did  not  perform  ! 


T  be  not  strange  that  my  father 
should  have  manifested  con 
siderable  restlessness  after  my 
mother's  death.  He  was  get 
ting  on  in  years,  though  still 
hale  and  rugged.  He  loved 
my  mother  with  a  sincere  de 
votion,  and  beyond  his  loyalty 
to  his  sovereign,  he  knew  no  ambition,  save  her  pleas 
ure  and  the  advancement  of  his  family.  To  secure 
these,  no  exertion,  no  sacrifice  on  his  part  was  counted  a 
matter  of  any  consequence.  He  desired  to  see  his  name 
perpetuated  among  the  strong  families  of  the  country. 
Upon  this  subject  he  had  a  fixed  philosophy,  holding  large 
families  to  be  undesirable,  as  tending  to  scatter  and 
weaken  both  the  resources  and  the  sentiment  of  the  family. 
He  had  a  notion  that  the  day  of  grand  castles  and  hosts 
of  retainers  was  fast  passing  away ;  that  wealth  would 
take  the  place  of  the  sword,  and  instead  of  armed  follow 
ers,  leasehold  tillers  of  the  soil  would  constitute  the 
most  stable  source  of  income,  and  the  surest  means  of 
advancement  and  honor.  He  calculated  that  within  a 
few  generations,  the  soil  of  England  would  belong  almost 
exclusively  to  a  very  limited  number,  on  whom  all  the 
others  would  be  dependent,  even  the  King  himself,  who 
must  look  to  them  for  revenue  to  support  his  dignity  and 
power. 

I  think  his  opinions  on  this  subject  had  been  not  a  little 
influenced  by  his  intimacy  with  Sir  John  Fortescue.  whose 
daughter  my  eldest  brother  had  wed,  who,  though  ac- 


120  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

counted  by  many  a  dreamer,  not  only  had  a  broader 
knowledge  of  the  laws  of  the  realm  than  any  other  of  his 
time,  but  was  also  a  philosopher  who  studied  men  and 
institutions  rather  than  theories,  and  believed  that  the 
future  of  English  power  might  best  be  foretold  by  the 
study  of  the  English  people  and  our  ancient  constitution. 
From  his  knowledge  of  these,  he  concluded  that  the  Brit 
ish  monarchy  would  grow  more  and  more  restricted  in 
power  until,  at  no  distant  date,  it  would  become  merely 
the  servant  of  the  landholders  of  the  realm  who  would 
rule  by  the  spade  and  the  plow  rather  than  the  sword. 
These  ideas  my  father  fully  accepted,  and  subordinated 
both  his  own  pleasure  and  the  wishes  and  desires  of  his 
family  to  their  exemplification. 

It  was  because  of  them  that  he  bound  my  two  elder 
brothers  in  strictest  bonds  to  concentration  of  the  wealth 
they  or  their  successors  might  acquire  ;  and  it  was  for 
this  reason,  as  well  as  his  vow  to  the  Virgin  Mother, 
that  he  desired  me  to  adopt  a  religious  life.  In  this  there 
was  no  thought  of  injustice  ;  he  asked  of  me  only  what 
he  thought  he  would  have  been  willing  to  do  himself; 
that  I  would  forego  my  own  prospects  in  order  to  promote 
the  welfare  of  our  family.  It  is  strange  how  short-sighted 
poor  mortals  be  !  If  he  had  had  his  wish  he  would  now 
be  without  one  of  his  blood  to  speak  his  name  with  rever 
ence  on  the  earth. 

Of  course,  I  did  not  then  fully  comprehend  my  father's 
character.  Youth  is  apt  to  believe  what  it  wishes  to  be 
true,  and  his  willingness  to  defer  the  time  when  I  should 
abandon  secular  things,  and  the  indulgence  manifested 
in  regard  to  the  sort  of  life  I  led  in  the  meanwhile,  induced 
the  belief  that  he  would  finally  recede  from  his  purpose. 
I  had  taken  little  part  in  the  management  of  his  constantly 
increasing  estate,  both  because  my  mother  was  charged 
with  that  duty,  and  because,  as  I  now  know,  he  did  not 
wish  me  to  acquire  a  fondness  for  affairs  which  might 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA.  1 2  i 

strengthen  my  disinclination  for  the  life  he  had  marked 
out  for  me. 

Because  of  these  things,  I  had  lived  indifferently  at  home 
and  in  the  town,  where  I  had  a  room  at  Master  Flemming's 
which  I  occupied  as  duty  or  inclination  served.  It  is  not 
strange,  perhaps,  that  thrown  constantly  in  the  society  of 
one  so  much  resembling  the  mother  I  loved  so  devotedly, 
I  should  form  an  attachment  for  the  sweet  daughter  of  the 
honest  merchant,  Heinrich  Flemming.  She  was  some 
what  my  junior,  and  I  hardly  dreamed  I  loved  her,  or 
that  the  reason  I  spent  so  much  time  at  her  father's  house 
after  my  mother  died,  was  because  of  her.  My  father 
was  a  man  of  the  world,  however,  too  keen-eyed  to  be 
deceived,  and  too  resolute  to  be  baffled  by  a  boy  who, 
however  stout-willed  he  might  be,  had  been  reared  in  a 
singular  seclusion  from  the  life  to  which  by  birth  and 
hereditary  rank  he  belonged.  I  was  well-fitted  to  become 
a  scholar  or  a  soldier  and  would  have  been  quite  content 
to  have  been  a  burgher  even  ;  but  I  knew  little  of  court- 
life  and  had  no  sympathy  with  the  gentry,  save  what 
came  from  my  love  of  arms  and  fondness  for  a  military 
career — the  dream,  I  think,  of  every  lad  of  spirit,  whose  sire 
hath  worn  a  sword  with  credit. 

My  father  was  too  wise  to  openly  combat  my  incli 
nations,  and  he  apparently  did  nothing  to  contravene  my 
wishes,  beyond  showing  me  his  will  by  which  all  his 
estate  was  entailed  upon  his  eldest  son,  saving  a  use  to 
my  brother  Edward,  and  his  heirs  in  perpetuo  :  no  pro 
vision  being  made  for  me  as  I  was  intended  for  a  religious 
life.  Should  I  not  adopt  such  a  vocation,  however,  it 
provided  that  neither  I  nor  any  of  my  descendants  should 
derive  any  benefit  whatever  from  his  estate,  or  take  any 
thing  because  of  my  relationship  to  him,  unless  the  two 
elder  branches  should  first  become  wholly  extinct. 

This  roused  my  anger,  especially  as  my  brother  Edward 
was  married  very  soon  thereafter  to  a  frivolous  court 


122  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

beauty  who  came  to  queen  it  at  Edgemont,  in  my  mother's 
place.  She  took  as  keen  a  dislike  to  the  disinherited  son 
as  he  to  her,  and  more  than  ever  after  that,  I  sought 
refuge  at  Master  Flemming's.  I  was  the  more  inclined  to 
this  course  as  my  beloved  tutor,  Fray  Mendcz,  was  about 
this  time  given  to  understand  that  his  room  was  more 
highly-prized  than  his  company.  We  parted  with  many 
tears,  he  going  over  sea  to  seek  seclusion  in  a  milder 
clime  with  more  scholarly  surroundings  ;  while  I  could  see 
nothing  before  me  except  compliance  with  my  father's 
wish,  unless  I  should  adopt  the  profession  of  a  navigator, 
and  take  such  chances  as  then  offered  to  adventurers  by 
sea. 

When  I  consulted  Master  Flemming  upon  the  matter,  I 
found  him  much  disturbed,  whereat  I  wondered  greatly, 
until  he  showed  me  that  I  could  not  sail  on  any  ship  going 
out  of  an  English  port  without  ruining  her  owner,  who 
would  be  sure  to  fall  under  the  displeasure  of  the  King 
and  Court  for  harboring  and  encouraging  the  son  of  a 
Privy  Councilor  in  rebellion  and  disobedience  to  his  father. 
He  advised  me,  if  I  could,  to  slip  away  into  some  foreign 
country  and  take  service  under  another  name. 

In  order  that  I  might  do  this,  so  great  was  his  confidence 
in  my  success,  he  offered  to  lend  me  a  sufficient  sum  of 
money  to  secure  a  proper  outfit,  and  give  me  a  letter  of 
credit  to  his  correspondents  in  foreign  ports.  That  his 
friendship  for  me  might  not  bring  him  into  trouble,  he  re 
quested  that  I  should,  as  soon  as  might  be  convenient, 
remove  all  personal  belongings  from  his  house  and  give 
it  out  that  he  had  denied  me  further  lodgment  on  learning 
of  my  disherison.  He  promised  to  send  me  word  when 
there  was  opportunity  to  embark. 

That  night  I  talked  with  Elsie  Flemming  and  told  her 
much  more  than  I  had  any  right  to  say.  She  heard  me 
gravely  ;  was  sure  I  would  succeed,  and  promised  to  wait 
for  my  return,  however  many  years  it  might  be.  It  almost 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SP: A. 


123 


frightened  me  to  hear  her  speak  so  solemnly,  little  dream 
ing-  of  the  years  of  waiting-  to  which  she  vowed  herself  so 
readily  and  faithfully.  A  woman's  love  is  a  sad  trust  for 
a  weak  man  to  bear,  and  the  wonder  is  not  that  so  many 
hearts  are  broken,  but  so  few.  I  was  no  more  worthy  of 
the  treasure  she  gave  into  my  keeping  than  the  'Scariot 
was  to  bear  the  alabaster  box  of  ointment  that  Mary  poured 
upon  the  Master's  feet.  But  I  did  not  know  it  then,  and 
would  well-nigh  have  died  with  shame  had  I  foreseen  the 
wrong  I  was  to  put  upon  that  simple  love. 

My  father  smiled  grimly 
when  I  told  him  the  lie  we 
had  concocted  —  Master 
Flemming  and  I,  that  is. 
It  was  my  first  falsehood, 
and  I  am  sure  he  might 
have  read  its  signals  in  my 
flaming  cheeks,  had  he 
not  been  so  elated  at  the 
fulfillment  of  his  own  de 
sires.  He  praised  Master 
Flemming  as  a  man  of 
sense,  and  promised  him 
the  Court's  favor  as  well  as 
his  own,  which  promise 
he  faithfully  fulfilled  to 
the  great  advantage  of 
the  good  merchant,  who 

would  have  lost  nothing  through  me,  even  had  I  never 
repaid  his  loan. 

Just  as  it  had  been  arranged  that  I  should  take  passage 
by  stealth  for  Flanders,  there  came  to  Edgemont  a  brave 
company  ;  at  their  head  Sir  Thomas  Darcy,  of  Temple- 
hurst,  on  his  way  to  serve  against  the  Moors  in  Spain, 
upon  whom  their  Majesties  of  Castile  and  Aragon  were 
about  to  move  with  a  great  armament.  He  brought  a 


124  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

letter  to  me  from  the  King,  which  there  be  no  doubt 
my  father  had  procured  His  Grace  to  write  (though  I 
guessed  it  not  then)  granting  me  leave  of  absence  from 
his  service — being  his  Lieutenant  I  could  not  have  gone 
without — to  go  abroad  with  Sir  Thomas,  to  remain  dur 
ing  such  time  as  my  affairs  might  warrant,  or  the  King's 
pleasure  permit,  provided  my  father  should  give  his  con 
sent.  How  I  trembled  when  I  read  this  condition  !  Yet 
my  father  consented  not  merely  with  readiness  but,  as  it 
seemed,  gladly. 

How  I  rejoiced  at  this  permission  to  go  and  fight  the 
Moors  !  It  seemed  sure  evidence  that  my  father  had 
relented  and  would  permit  me  to  be  a  soldier  after  all,  if 
only  I  were  willing  to  forego  any  expectations  from  him 
in  the  advancement  of  my  career.  What  cared  1  for  rank 
or  lucre  !  Only  give  me  a  sword  and  an  opportunity  to 
use  it,  and  I  had  no  fear  of  the  future !  Name  and  fame  I 
would  win  for  myself.  So  I  thanked  my  father,  heartily, 
and  with  much  inward  self-condemnation  for  the  wrong  I 
thought  I  had  done  him. 

When,  however,  I  carried  the  report  of  what  had  hap 
pened  to  Master  Flemming,  who  was  still  my  friend  in 
secret,  the  matter  at  once  assumed  a  new  light,  for  he  was 
a  man  of  the  world  as  well  as  my  father,  though  in  a  very 
different  way.  The  merchant  knew  human  nature,  quite 
as  well  as  the  courtier,  and  this,  after  all,  is  the  chief  thing 
that  distinguishes  a  man  of  the  world  from  him  who 
knows  not  its  ways.  No  sooner  had  I  told  him  what  had 
occuired  than  his  head  fell  forward  on  his  breast,  then 
after  a  moment's  thought,  he  turned  towards  me,  his 
bushy  brows  drawn  down  over  his  deep  blue  eyes  which 
shone  like  steel  under  them,  and  said  : 

"  I  like  it  not,  my  son,  I  like  it  not  !  " 

I  was  so  surprised  I  could  hardly  ask  him  why  he  did 
not  like  what  seemed  to  me  so  great  a  favor.  But  he  con 
tinued  of  his  own  accord  : 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 


125 


"  I  much  misdoubt  if  it  be  what  it  seems,  my  son.  If 
I  read  the  matter  aright,  there  be  the  hand  of  a  priest 
behind  it,  and  that  bodes  thee  no  good." 

"  What  dost  thou  mean  ?  " 

"Canst  thou  not  see?  Thou  art  the  son  of  a  Privy 
Councilor,  and  like  not  thy  designation  to  a  religious  life. 
Thy  father  commands  it  and  threatens  disherison.  What 
more  could  he  do  ?  He  cannot  shut  thee  up  in  a  convent 
by  force — here  in  England,  that  is.  Even  the  Court  of  the 
Star  Chamber  would  not 
dare  make  such  a  decree. 
But  in  Spain,  mark  ye,  it 
is  different.  There  the 
Holy  Office  holdeth  sway 
and  Mother  Church 
claimeth  her  own,  willy, 
nilly. 

"  What  have  we  now  ? 
Thy  King  giveth  thee 
leave  to  go  abroad  with 
Sir  Thomas  Darcy,  who 
goeth  to  fight  the  Mocrs. 
Who  is  Sir  Thomas 
Darcy  ?  A  gallant  knight, 
I  grant  you,  but  the 
most  bigoted  layman  in 
all  the  realm  of  England. 

I  am  no  Lollard,  but  I  like  it  not  when  the  cowl  hath 
too  much  sway  in  our  affairs.  It  is  not  well  when 
the  state  is  under  control  of  men  that  have  shred  off 
half  their  humanity,  and  know  nought  of  wife's  love  or 
child's  dependence.  If  the  Church  hath  need  of  such,  which 
I  do  misdoubt,  let  them  stay  within  its  bounds  and  not 
meddle  with  affairs  without  its  pale.  So  say  I,  an'  though 
I  be  but  a  burgher,  I  wot  it  were  better  for  the  realm  if 
there  were  more  tradesmen  and  fewer  priests.  An'  thou 


126  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA, 

hadst  a  vocation  for  the  Church,  I  would  be  the  last  to  dis 
countenance  thee,  but  it  is  ill  forcing-  a  man  to  serve  God, 
and  one  made  a  priest  against  his  will  is  like  to  be  the 
Devil's  best  servant. 

"Yet  there  be  small  chance  for  thee  to  escape.  Thou 
wilt  go  with  Sir  Thomas  Darcy — perchance  they  will  let 
thee  fight  against  the  Moors — but  when  Sir  Thomas  returns 
they  will  show  thy  father's  authority,  and  thou  wilt  have 
thy  choice  between  Cordova  and  the  dungeons  of  the 
Inquisition.  Dost  thou  not  see  ?  " 

"It  cannot  be;  my  father  would  not  be  so  false!  "  I 
answered  chokingly. 

"Thy  father  vowed  a  son  to  the  Church,  and  thou  art 
his  only  hope  to  perform  his  vow." 

"  But  I  am  not  consecrate  ;  I  have  taken  no  vows  ;  the 
Church  hath  no  claim  on  me  !  " 

"Thou  wilt  be  without  friends,  my  son,  in  a  strange 
land.  The  Church  hath  ways  enough  to  compel  such  to 
her  will.  I  thank  God  the  Brothers  of  the  Black  Robe 
have  not  yet  power  in  England." 

After  farther  converse  of  the  same  sort,  I  could  not  doubt 
that  Master  Flemming  was  in  the  right,  and  with  his  help 
I  devised  a  plan  to  baffle  the  designs  upon  my  liberty. 
We  judged  that  Sir  Thomas  would  not  be  made  the  confi 
dant  of  such  purpose  if  it  existed,  since  it  would  hardly  do 
for  an  English  knight  to  be  the  conscious  instrument  of 
such  a  scheme,  and  it  might  not  be  wholly  safe  to  trust  it 
to  him.  It  seemed  more  probable  that  it  would  be  con 
veyed  to  some  person  in  authority  abroad,  by  letters 
which  would  be  intrusted  to  my  care,  since,  being  so  greatly 
pleased  with  what  was  done  in  my  behalf,  there  would  be 
little  fear  that  I  would  fail  to  deliver  them.  So  it  was 
arranged  between  us,  that  I  should  deliver  none  of  the 
missives  intrusted  to  me,  save  the  letter  to  Master  Flem- 
ming's  agent,  by  which  he  gave  me  credit  for  such  surr.s 
as  I  might  need,  should  it  become  necessary  at  any  time 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA.  127 

to  leave  the  realm  or  engage  in  any  venture  on  my  own 
account.  Thus  equipped,  I  embarked  with  Sir  Thomas 
Darcy  and  his  company,  little  dreaming  how  long  it 
would  be  until  I  should  see  the  green  fields  of  merrie 
England  again. 


POURSUIVANT  to  the  plan  marked  out  by  Master  Flem- 
ming-,  I  assumed  a  cold  and  repelling  manner,  making  no 
intimates  among  Sir  Thomas  Darcy's  people  after  we  em 
barked,  and  apparently  taking  no  interest,  either  in  the 
voyage  itself  or  the  purpose  they  had  in  view.  Long  be 
fore  we  reached  Seville,  where  the  Court  then  was,  I  had 
the  satisfaction  of  knowing  that  I  was  regarded  as  an  in- 
cumbrance  rather  than  an  acquisition,  having  made  my 
self  so  poor  an  interpreter,  in  which  capacity  I  was  ex 
pected  to  be  of  service,  that  they  would  scarce  have  been 
worse  off  with  none.  I  hardly  think  there  could  have 
been  any  great  disappointment,  therefore,  when  upon  the 
second  morning  after  our  arrival  I  disappeared  altogether. 
Sir  Thomas  was  kind  enough  to  have  search  made  for  me, 
but  no  one  thought  of  inquiring  at  the  house  of  the  Chris 
tian  Jew,  Jacobo  Santo  de  Murillo,  the  agent  and  corre 
spondent  of  Master  Flemming,  to  whom  I  brought  letters. 
He  was  a  native  of  Portugal  and  translated  my  name  into 
Arturo  Lac,  whereat  I  smiled  with  satisfaction,  knowing 
that  neither  his  ear  nor  his  tongue  would  be  likely  to 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 


129 


respond  intelligibly  to  any  inquiries  that  might  be  made 
concerning  me. 

On  the  voyage  I  had  worn  only  black  clothes  of  a  half- 
clerical  style,  which  I  could  see  that  my  father  was  well 
pleased  that  I  should  don,  having  my  equipments  carefully 
stowed  away  with  my  luggage  except  my  sword,  which  I 
kept  in  a  black  leathern  case  presented  to  me  by  my  friend 
Bastien  Caboto,  who  had  brought  it  from  the  Levant,  which 
I  took  care  not  once  to  open  during  the  voyage  ;  so  that  I 
was  well  pleased  to  hear  one  of  the  company  say  he  was 
uncertain  whether  it  contained  a  sword  or  a  crucifix. 
When,  with  the  aid  of  my  new  friend,  Jacobo,  therefore,  I 
sallied  forth  equipped  as  a  Spanish  gallant,  there  was  little 
danger  of  being  recognized  by  my  late  companions. 

Everything  was  in  favor  of  the  plan  I  had  adopted. 
The  chance  of  having  had  a  Spanish  tutor,  my  dark  com 
plexion,  and  a  certain  stoutness  of  build,  the  short  neck, 
broad  shoulders,  and  deep  chest,  to  which  I  owed  the  un 
usual  strength  which  has  been  of  such  advantage  to  me  at 
every  turn  of  my  life,  as  well  as  the  disturbed  state  of  the 
country  and  the  many  strangers  who  were  flocking  to  the 
standard  of  their  Catholic  Majesties,  made  it  easy  for  me 
to  assume  the  role,  if  not  of  a  Castilian,  at  least  of  a  pro 
vincial.  I  wandered  about  the  city  for  several  days,  min 
gling  freely  with  the  multitude  that  filled  the  streets,  but 
making  no  acquaintances. 

After  a  time  I  visited  Fray  Mendez  at  Cordova,  where  he 
was  living  in  the  scholarly  seclusion  he  so  well  loved,  and 
from  him  received  confirmation  of  my  suspicion  that  the 
purpose  of  sending  me  to  Spain  was  to  keep  me  under 
surveillance,  rather  than  permit  me  to  make  a  career  for 
myself;  since  he  had  of  late,  as  he  told  me,  been  several 
times  questioned  by  his  superiors  as  to  whether  he  had  seen 
me  or  heard  from  me  since  my  arrival.  Right  here  I  can 
not  refrain  from  testifying  my  admiration  of  my  father's 
sagacity  in  attempting  by  this  means  to  flex  my  will. 

9 


136  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

By  sending-  me  to  Spain  with  Sir  Thomas  Darcy  he  made 
me  a  willing  coadjutor  in  his  plans  and  removed  me 
from  all  friendly  influences  to  which  I  might  appeal, 
while  placing-  me  at  the  very  point  where  the  power 
of  the  Church  was  most  active  and  potent ;  so  that  I 
must  surely  have  fallen  into  the  trap  he  set  had  it  not 
been  for  the  shrewdness  of  Master  Flemming-.  In  my 
travel  to  Cordova,  I  took  the  name  Tallerte  tie  Lajes, 
which  was  the  one  by  which  Fray  Mendez  had  called  me 
almost  from  .my  babyhood,  and  I  knew  that  if  questioned 
again,  as  I  judged  it  likely  he  would  be,  I  could  not  rely 
on  him  to  prevaricate  in  regard  to  haA'ing  seen  me.  For, 
though  liberal  enough  in  many  things,  he  could  never  be 
induced  to  give  assent  to  an  untruth,  however  deftly  hid 
den  it  might  be.  I  could  only  hope  he  might  refer  to  me 
as  my  father's  son,  rather  than  by  my  name.  And  this 
much  I  ventured  to  ask  him  to  do  ;  but  he  made  no 
promise,  though  he  never  betrayed  my  identity. 

It  chanced  that  my  father,  when  he  became  the  King's 
baron  and  donned  the  peer's  gown,  chose  not  to  discard 
his  family  name,  as  many  do,  nor  yet  to  be  enrolled  under 
it.  He  wished  the  peerage  to  begin  with  himself  and  yet 
to  retain  the  patronymic  which  showed  our  kinship  with 
royalty.  As  he  had  been  Sir  Tudor  Lake,  so  he  deter 
mined  to  remain,  but  became  also  Baron  Trude  of  Edge- 
mont,  which  was  the  family  name  of  the  female  ancestor  by 
which  we  were  united  to  the  Tudor  line.  My  name  itself 
was  not  very  likely  to  suggest  to  foreign  ears  any  relation 
ship  to  Baron  Trude  of  the  Privy  Council.  I  hardly  real 
ized  this  at  the  time,  not  knowing  how  restricted  is  the 
knowledge  of  our  English  names  and  titles  and  thinking 
Tallerte  de  Lajes  must  be  as  familiar  to  others  as  to  me,  I 
determined  to  use  it  no  more. 

Being  thus  certified  of  my  father's  purpose  I  set  myself 
to  foil  his  scheme.  First  of  all,  I  determined  to  become 
a  Spaniard  and  give  up  all  hope  of  ever  returning  to  Eng- 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA.  131 

land.  It  was  a  most  foolish  thing-  to  do,  but  I  could  see 
no  other  way,  and,  to  tell  the  truth,  I  was  much  pleased 
with  the  gaieties  of  Seville  which  I  had  already  begun  to 
taste  and  little  appreciated  the  difficulties  in  the  way  of 
my  undertaking.  Fortunately,  I  had  abundant  means, 
through  the  liberality  of  my  father,  who  had  not  only  filled 
my  purse,  but  had  given  me  a  letter  of  credit  on  a  London 
banker,  sufficient,  as  he  said,  to  maintain  me  with 
credit  as  a  volunteer  soldier  with  a  proper  following 
for  three  years.  I  was  amazed  at  the  sum,  and  espe 
cially  at  his  injunction  not  to  be  a  niggard  in  its  use, 
but  soon  perceived  his  motive.  He  meant  me  to  con 
sume  a  fair  share  of  his  estate  in  the  few  years  that  would 
elapse  before  the  time  set  for  my  profession,  in  the  hope 
that  palled  and  disappointed  with  a  life  of  dissipation,  I 
might  the  more  readily  accept  the  vocation  he  intended 
me  to  follow.  He  had  not  greatly  misjudged  my  inclina 
tion.  Perhaps  no  one  who  has  been  reared  in  such  seclu 
sion  is  ever  without  a  bias  toward  frivolity.  At  least,  I 
was  not,  and  I  doubt  not  his  expectation  would  have 
been  fulfilled,  but  for  my  love  of  adventure  and  such 
horror  of  a  religious  life  as  made  it  always  a  nightmare 
to  my  thought. 

I  made  haste  to  obtain  money  on  this  letter,  through 
my  friend  Jacobo,  and  was  not  long  in  finding  a  Jew, 
who,  misliking  the  signs  of  the  times,  was  as  anxious  to 
get  out  of  Spain  as  I  was  to  remain  in  it,  from  whom  I 
leased  a  house  upon  terms  amounting  to  a  sale  which  he 
dare  not  make  lest  the  knowledge  of  it  should  subject 
him  to  suspicion  and  make  it  impossible  for  him  to  leave 
the  kingdom  without  loss  of  a  greater  portion  of  the 
price.  I  little  knew  what  trouble  I  was  preparing  for 
myself  when  I  subscribed  the  lease  Arturo  Lac,  and  be 
came  a  tenant  of  Rabbi  Ibrahen,  of  Toledo,  who  forth 
with  made  haste  to  depart  the  realm  and  become  a 
burgher  of  Frankfort  on  the  Rhine,  foreseeing  the  evil  days 


132  OUT  OF  TH£  SUNSET  SKA. 

that  were  so  soon  to  fall  upon  his  people  when,  though 
compelled  to  leave  the  kingdom,  they  were  forbidden  to 
take  away  money  or  gold  or  silver  or  precious  stones. 

It  was  a  gay  winter  in  Seville,  and  only  the  fear  of  dis 
covery  which  haunted  me  night  and  day,  prevented  me 
from  falling  a  victim  to  its  dissipations.  Fortunately, 
this  kept  me  from  the  higher  circles  of  society  and  gave 
me  a  rare  opportunity  to  learn  the  habits  and  acquire  the 
customs  of  the  people.  Day  by  day,  my  confidence  in 
the  completeness  of  my  disguise,  which  in  fact  was  no 
disguise  at  all,  increased,  until,  being  anxious  to  take  part 
in  the  war  then  going  on,  I  took  advantage  of  a  call  for 
new  levies  to  carry  on  the  siege  of  Malaga,  and  after 
much  consideration  determined  to  assume  the  role  of  a 
Biscayan  gentleman,  adopting  the  name  Artis  del  Porro 
(Arthur  of  the  leek),  a  name  which  Sir  John  Fortescue 
had  once  jestingly  applied  to  me,  in  allusion  to  my  Welsh 
ancestry  and  appearance  when  a  lad.  As  my  father  did 
not  appear  to  relish  it,  the  Lord  Keeper  never  repeated 
the  jest.  Somehow,  it  struck  my  humor  to  hide  myself 
under  this  quaint  title.  So  Arturo  Lac  left  his  house  with 
its  pleasant  court  in  the  shadow  of  the  old  Synagogue  in 
Seville,  and  Artis  del  Porro  set  forth  to  fight  the  Moors  in 
the  army  of  Ferdinand  of  Aragon  and  Isabella  of  Castile. 

In  providing  myself  with  an  equipment  commensurate 
with  my  means,  I  took  under  my  patronage  a  half-dozen 
sturdy  Andalusian  fellows  who  were  glad  to  serve  a 
gentleman  in  whose  train  they  were  sure  of  enough  to 
eat,  rather  than  in  the  contingent  of  some  great  noble 
where  the  chance  to  forage  was  more  restricted  and  an 
empty  stomach  likely  to  be  more  frequent.  They  were 
stout  rascals,  and  could  live  on  less,  fight  harder,  and 
march  longer  than  anyone  except  a  Spanish  soldier  ever 
thought  of  doing  on  such  fare.  I  had  no  idea  how  long  I 
could  maintain  such  state,  but  I  meant  it  should  go 
hard  if  some  one  did  not  relieve  me  of  their  charge  for 


OUr  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA.  133 

the  sake  of  our  united  services.  So  I  equipped  them,  and 
the  luck  that  goes  with  folly  failed  me  not  ;  for  even 
while  we  were  on  our  way  to  join  the  army  we  had 
the  good  fortune  to  be  of  signal  service  to  the  Duke  of 
Medina-Sidonia,  who  going  from  one  of  his  cities  to 
another,  was  set  upon  by  a  foray  of  the  Infidels  whom  El 
Zagal  had  sent  by  stealth  over  the  mountains  to  seize 
whatever  rich  prey  might  fall  into  their  hands  and  bear 
the  same  away  to  be  held  for  ransom  in  some  Moorish 
donjon.  And  in  good  sooth,  had  it  not  been  for  my  little 
band,  they  had  caught  the  richest  grandee  in  Spain  and 
with  him  the  Archbishop  of  Toledo,  its  chief  prelate. 

It  happed  in  this  wise  :  we  were  making  our  noon  halt 
in  the  shade  of  some  willows  in  a  little  valley  that  opened 
into  a  greater  one  scarce  two  bow-shots  away,  when  the 
wind  brought  to  our  ears  the  sound  of  strife.  We  did  not 
stop  to  guess  who  the  combatants  might  be.  One  side 
was  sure  to  be  our  friends,  the  other  our  enemies.  Hastily 
caparisoning  ourselves,  we  set  out  as  eagerly  as  ever 
knight  did  in  anticipation  of  adventure.  Before  we  had 
rounded  the  hill  that  separated  us  from  the  scene  of  strife, 
we  knew  that  one  side  wore  helmets  and  the  other 
turbans — that  one  flew  the  banner  of  the  Cross  arid  the 
other  the  impious  horse-tails  of  the  Prophet,  for  we  heard 
the  shrill  cry  of  ''Allah  il  Allah!''  and  the  answering 
shout  of  "Santa  Maria  and  Saint  lago  !  "  The  volume  of 
the  one  and  the  feebleness  of  the  other  even  told  us  that 
the  enemy  was  the  more  numerous  and  that  our  friends 
were  sore  bested.  To  do  my  followers  justice,  not  one 
of  them  flinched,  and  when  we  came  out  of  the  little  val 
ley  into  the  larger  one  where  a  body  of  the  wild  Moorish 
cavalry  was  wheeling  in  swift  circles  around  a  little 
group  of  men-at-arms,  who  with  lance  and  sword  and 
battle-ax,  made  a  sullen  defense  against  their  more 
numerous  and  agile  assailants,  each  one  was  in  his  place 
and  shouted  lustily  as  we  dashed  in  to  the  rescue.  The 


134  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

fight  had  evidently  been  a  long  one,  for  horses  and  men 
lying  dead  on  the  plain  marked  how  the  struggle  had 
progressed,  the  little  band  of  mail-clad  Christians  pressing 
steadily  toward  the  hill,  and  their  Paynim  assailants 
swarming  thick  around  to  prevent  their  reaching  this  van 
tage-ground. 

From  the  first,  the  Christians  had  been  outmatched. 
Now,  their  horses  were  tired  and  their  blows  feeble. 
Yet  they  had  steadily  approached  the  hill,  and  a  moment's 
respite  would  enable  them  to  reach  a  rocky  slope  where 
the  enemy's  horses  would  be  of  little  service,  and  the 
superior  armor  of  the  Christians  would  nearly  make  up 
for  inequality  in  numbers.  I  saw  this,  as  we  slackened 
speed  for  an  instant  at  the  turn  of  the  hill,  and  thought 
that  by  a  sudden  attack  we  might  give  our  friends  the 
needed  opportunity  to  escape  to  this  coveted  position. 
We  were  but  few — seven  against  four  score  at  the  least 
— but  our  horses  were  fresh,  our  arms  unwearied  and  even 
the  half-armor  which  my  fellows  wore  went  a  great  way 
against  naked  heathen.  Though  I  was  but  a  raw  leader, 
we  had  brave  hearts.  I  had  brought  with  me  the  horn 
with  which  I  used  to  hunt  the  red  deer  in  Glostershire, 
partly  from  -love  of  the  sport,  and  partly  because  it  had 
been  a  Christmas  gift  from  fair-haired  Elsie  Flemming. 
Putting  this  to  my  lips,  I  wound  such  a  blast  as  I  mis 
doubt  if  the  banks  of  Guadiaro  had  ever  echoed  before. 
Christians  and  Mussulmans  paused  in  surprise  ;  then  each 
company  sent  up  its  own  battle-cry.  We  had  the  land 
with  us  and  rode  down  upon  the  turbaned  Paynim  at 
speed.  They,  noting  the  fierceness  of  our  onset  and  the 
fewness  of  our  numbers,  sought,  as  their  wont  is,  to  draw 
us  after  them  in  pursuit  ;  but,  though  I  had  never  been  in 
battle  since  as  a  lad  I  watched  the  tide  of  war  at  Bosworth, 
I  saw  through  this  device,  and  bearing  to  the  right,  edged 
between  the  enemy  and  those  we  sought  to  relieve.  See 
ing  this,  the  Paynim  wheeled  back  from  their  simulated 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 


flight  and  dashed  upon  us.  I  hardly  know  what  hap 
pened  afterward.  There  were  shouts  and  blows,  and  fin 
ally  darkness  and  confused  helplessness. 

When  I  recovered  consciousness,  it  was  to  feel  the  touch 
of  soft  fingers  on  my  brow  and  look  up  into  eyes  of  such 
melting,  liquid  blackness  as  I  had  never  seen  before. 
The  strife  was  over.  The  Christians  had  gained  the  van 
tage  ground  through  the  diversion  I  had  made,  and  the 
enemy,  fearing  from  the  boldness  of  our  attack  that  we 
were  but  the  van 
guard  of  a  greater 
host,  had  suddenly 
withdrawn,  fearful 
lest  they  be  cut  off 
from  their  mount 
ain  fastnesses.  I 
had  been  stunned 
by  a  blow,  my  horse 
killed,  and  I  pitch 
ed  forward  on  the 
hard,  sun-parched 
plain.  Weary  as 
they  were,  the  little 
band  who  had  been  rescued  from  death  or  Moorish  bon 
dage,  had  borne  me  to  the  spring  beside  which  we 
had  dined,  and  Dona  Guadita  Mendoza,  the  niece  of  the 
Archbishop  of  Toledo,  was  with  her  own  fair  hands  bath 
ing  my  head  to  restore  consciousness.  I  could  not  re 
member  where  I  was  or  what  had  happened  ;  but  as  I 
gazed  into  her  lustrous  eyes  and  marked  the  dark  fringes 
of  the  veined  lids  that  fell  over  them,  the  image  of  little 
fair-faced  Elsie  Flemming  faded  from  my  memory. 

It  was  one  of  those  accidents  which  happen  even  to  the 
most  undeserving.  The  Duke  of  Mcdina-Sidonia,  in  com 
pany  with  the  warlike  Mendoza,  Archbishop  of  Toledo, 
Was  engaged  in  raising  new  levies  to  recruit  the  King's 


136  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

armies  depleted  by  numerous  conflicts  with  the  Moors. 
Together,  they  were  journeying  to  an  appointed  ren 
dezvous,  one  of  the  castles  of  the  great  Duke.  So  secure 
did  they  feel  because  of  the  distance  from  the  frontier,  that 
the  prelate  journeyed  without  the  armor  he  was  wont  to 
wear,  and  his  niece,  the  Dona  Guadita,  who  had  been 
graciously  bidden  to  attend  upon  the  Queen,  traveled 
with  them.  To  the  fiery  Moorish  monarch,  El  Zagal, 
half  the  width  of  Andalusia  was  not  too  far  to  send  those 
fierce  forays  with  which,  despite  his  years,  he  sought 
to  compel  the  invaders  to  loose  their  hold  upon  his  fated 
realm.  It  was  one  of  these  marauding  bands,  which 
sweeping  from  the  mountains  had  overpowered  and  slain 
the  outpost  on  the  frontier,  and  stealing  swiftly  down  the 
narrow  valleys,  had  chanced  upon  a  richer  prize  than  they 
had  hoped  to  meet.  No  doubt  the  capture  of  these  two 
grandees  at  this  juncture  would  have  caused  a  truce,  and 
might  have  turned  the  tide  of  war  against  the  Christian 
invaders.  It  was  quite  true,  therefore,  that  in  succoring 
them  I  had  performed  a  service  to  the  sovereigns  as  well 
as  to  these  distinguished  personages.  They  were  most 
profuse  in  their  thanks  and  praises,  the  Duke  giving  me 
on  the  spot,  the  barb  he  rode  in  place  of  the  horse  I  had 
lost,  and  both  promising,  for  themselves  and  their  sover 
eigns,  continued  favor  and  more  abundant  reward. 

The  Dona  Guadita  sobbed  forth  her  thanks  in  tones  and 
words  equally  confusing  to  my  shattered  senses.  I  tried 
to  make  light  both  of  the  service  I  had  rendered  and  the 
hurt  I  had  received  ;  but  when,  after  an  hour's  halt,  it 
was  necessary  to  resume  our  journey,  I  was  fain  to 
accept  the  proffer  of  the  chair-saddle  and  the  ambling 
mule  provided  for  the  Dona  Guadita's  use,  while  she,  with 
the  easy  confidence  of  the  Andalusian  woman,  rode  by 
my  side  on  the  beautiful  barb  the  Duke  had  given  me, 
which  he  chivalrously  refused  again  to  bestride. 

A  fortnight  afterward,  when  the  new  levies  were  col- 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA.  137 

lected  and  a  long  train  of  supplies  gathered,  I  was  able  to 
attend  my  patron,  who  had  kindly  attached  me  to  his 
person,  though  I  had  still  to  avoid  the  heat  of  the  mid 
day  sun,  lying  in  the  shadow  of  willows  by  the  side  of 
some  stream,  up  the  bed  of  which  we  marched,  or  sitting 
under  the  gray  branches  of  the  olive  groves  hard  by  the 
rugged  way,  while  the  long  train  moved  slowly  on.  With 
me  at  such  times  was  always  the  Dona  Guadita  and  the 
maid  in  attendance  upon  her  ;  for  the  Queen  was  with  the 
army,  and  there,  too,  was  the  betrothed  of  the  fair  Dona. 
He  was  a  gallant  soldier  whose  praise  was  in  every  one's 
mouth,  but  it  was  gall  and  wormwood  to  me  that  I  should 
have  saved  her  from  the  Moor  that  she  might  become  the 
bride  of  another. 

I  was  only  a  foolish  lad  weakened  by  a  sore  hurt,  and 
no  doubt  spoke  more  freely  than  was  either  becoming  or 
discreet.  She  had  the  coquetry  of  her  Spanish  nature, 
and,  though  evidently  not  unwilling  to  listen  to  my 
rhapsodies,  which  indeed  must  have  seemed  tame  beside 
the  tropic  phrases  of  a  Spanish  lover,  she  uttered  no  word 
inconsistent  with  her  duty  as  the  affianced  of  another ; 
and  it  was  not  until  long  afterwards  that  I  learned  how 
sincere  a  regard  she  had  for  the  callow  lad  who  had  not 
strength  enough  to  conceal  his  chagrin.  Such  was  my  dis 
appointment  that,  when  we  came  near  to  the  beleaguered 
city,  I  gladly  accepted  the  offer  of  my  patron  to  take  com 
mand  of  a  squadron  of  the  new  troops  which  he  had 
brought,  and  counted  myself  fortunate  that  I  was  given 
post  on  the  most  exposed  part  of  the  line  under  the  com 
mand  of  Francisco  Ramirez,  perhaps  the  most  skillful 
engineer  who  ever  planned  a  mine  or  trained  a  bom 
bard. 

In  the  weeks  that  followed  of  that  terrible  siege,  war 
drove  the  thought  of  love  from  my  mind,  being  helped 
therein,  as  I  do  not  doubt,  by  the  marriage  of  the  object 
of  my  infatuation  to  Don  Juan  de  Ullana,  a  most 


138  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

worthy  soldier  for  whom  was  reserved  an  unhappy  fate. 
This  marriage  was  ordered  by  the  Queen  immediately  on 
our  arrival,  being  instigated  thereto  by  the  uncle  of  the 
bride,  his  Grace  of  Toledo,  who  was  a  man  not  without 
eyes  and  little  disposed  to  sentiment.  Somehow,  I  did 
not  feel  at  all  proud  of  this  love  adventure  and,  looking 
back  at  it  now,  can  only  discern  in  it  the  callowness 
and  impressibility  of  youth.  Perhaps  my  chagrin  stim 
ulated  the  zeal  which  soon  carried  that  part  of  the 
line  under  my  command  nearer  the  city's  walls  than 
any  other.  Perhaps  it  was  only  that  doggedness  which 
makes  the  Englishman,  though  no  braver  in  battle  than 
the  Spaniard — that  none  could  be — ready  to  watch  and 
work  while  the  Spaniard  needs  must  sleep  when  occasion 
serves. 

My  faithfulness  to  duty  was  rewarded  with  the 
approval  both  of  the  Duke,  who  was  glad  to  see  his 
banner  the  foremost  toward  the  walls  of  the  city,  and  of 
the  engineer  to  whom  the  knowledge  I  had  gained  as 
an  officer  of  the  Royal  Artillery  enabled  me  especially  to 
commend  myself.  Gradually  my  command  was  enlarged 
until  I  had  charge  of  the  most  advanced  salient  and  all 
the  bombards  and  engines  it  contained.  To  say  that  I 
was  happy  would  but  feebly  express  my  enjoyment  of  the 
toils  and  dangers  of  this  daily  struggle.  I  seemed  to 
have  found  my  element.  My  whole  mind  was  occupied 
with  the  thought  how  we  might  do  most  harm  to  the 
enemy  or  how  best  resist  their  assaults  and  shield  our 
men  from  their  missiles.  I  had  hardly  time  to  eat  or 
sleep,  so  intense  was  the  joy  of  strife  and  the  relish  of 
personal  responsibility. 

I  suppose  the  fact  that  I  had  so  few  acquaintances 
added  to  this  feeling.  Now  and  then,  I  received  a 
summons  from  the  Duke,  my  patron,  who  failed  neither 
in  interest  for  me  nor  in  exultation  in  my  success,  and 
always  bade  me  ask  some  favor  of  him.  But  I  wished 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 


'39 


for  nothing.  I  was  El  Capitan  Artis  del  Porro,  in  com 
mand  of  three  hundred  men-at-arms  of  the  Duke  of 
Medina-Sidonia,  in  the  service  of  their  Majesties  of 
Castile  and  Aragon.  What  more  could  a  disinherited 
youth  who  lacked  yet  a  year  of  twenty  desire. 

And  just  here  it  be  proper  to  state  that  I  do  not  think 
my  advancement  was  due  wholly  to  the  accident  I  have 
related ;  much  less  was  it  due  to  merit  alone.  In  a 
life  affording  much  opportunity  for  observation,  I  have 
seldom  known  an  instance  in  which  mere  merit  has  been 
the  sole  basis  of  success,  or  in  which  opportunity  or  favor 
was  sufficient  to  maintain  one  in  a  responsible  position 
without  being  backed  by  merit.  In  my  own  case,  it  was 
good  fortune  that  gave  me  a  fair  knowledge  of  the 
Castilian  tongue,  a  military  aptitude,  a  constitution*  of 
body  that  bade  defiance  to  fatigue  and  hardship,  without 
which  no  man  can  excel  as  soldier,  and  which  finally 
gave  me  the  friendship  of  one  so  potent  and  gracious  as 
the  Duke  of  Medina-Sidonia.  On  the  other  hand,  it  was 
our  English  habit  of  steadiness  and  thoroughness  in  the 
performance  of  duty,  as  well  as  our  English  phlegm  which 
is  not  easily  moved  by  misadventure,  which,  contrasted 
with  the  mercurial  character  of  the  Spanish  soldier, 
especially  fitted  me  for  the  post  I  held.  My  youth  was 
no  obstacle,  as  it  might  have  been  in  an  English  camp, 
both  because  I  seemed  older  than  my  years  on  account 
of  my  dark  and  serious  visage,  and  also  because  among 
the  Spaniards  it  is  no  uncommon  thing  for  men  of  even 
fewer  years  than  mine  to  hold  responsible  places,  espe 
cially  in  war. 

I  had  seen  little  of  the  company  with  which  I  set  sail 
from  Bristol  since  our  arrival  at  Seville.  Now  and  then, 
I  had  met  some  of  them  in  the  city's  streets  and  smiled 
at  their  failure  to  recognize  a  quondam  sociate.  Once 
or  twice  I  had  heard  a  British  shout  in  the  midst  of  a 
sortie,  and  was  often  told  how  the  British  battle-axes  were 


140  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSE T  SEA. 

hewing  their  way  up  the  steep  slope  before  them  toward 
the  impregnable  castle  of  Gibralcara. 

I  finally  determined  to  visit  the  left  wing  of  the  army, 
where  Sir  Thomas  Darcy  was  stationed  with  two  hundred 
as  good  men-at-arms  as.  ever  drew  bow  or  poised  ax  or 
spear  ;  not  that  I  meant  to  make  myself  known  to  them, 
but  I  wished  to  see  if  any  of  them  would  recognize  in  the 
smart  Spanish  Captain  the  black-coated  youngster  who 
had  sailed  with  them  from  Bristol-town  less  than  a  year 
before.  I  need  have  had  no  fears  ;  the  gay  colors  of  my 
uniform  and  the  bright  armor  which  I  wore  were  an 
effectual  disguise  to  those  whom  I  had  taken  good  care 
should  see  me  only  in  the  somber  black  of  the  intended 
clericus.  I  passed  among  them  without  a  sign  of  recogni 
tion  and  finally,  almost  by  way  of  bravado,  introduced  my 
self  to  the  young  squire  who  was  on  duty  at  the  entrance 
of  Lord  Darcy 's  magnificent  marquee,  who  had  no 
sooner  heard  the  name  than  he  said,  as  well  as  his  imper 
fect  Spanish  would  permit : 

"  Art  thou  the  Duke  of  Medina-Sidonia's  Captain  on  the 
inner  line  ? 

Upon  my  answering  in  the  affirmative,  he  exclaimed  : 

"Then  thou  must  see  my  lord,  for  he  hath  often  com 
mended  the  orderliness  of  thy  work  and  the  discipline  of 
thy  camp." 

He  disappeared  within  the  tent  and  soon  returning  led 
me  to  the  presence  of  his  chief.  Sir  Thomas  Darcy  was 
then  scarcely  thirty  years  of  age,  and  had  won  none  of 
the  distinction  which  hath  since  attached  to  his  name  by 
reason  of  the  stout  demurrage  he  hath  made  against 
our  good  king  Henry  the  Eighth,  in  which  he  hath  dis 
played  more  of  courage  than  of  wit,  or  I  do  much  mistake 
the  temper  of  the  king.  He  was  a  stout  and  brave 
knight,  however,  and  with  true  English  pluck  would  no 
more  have  allowed  a  Spanish  noble  to  outdo  him  in  battle 
than  outvie  him  in  the  splendor  of  his  quarters.  The  tent 


0 UT  OF  TIfE  SUNSE  T  SEA.  \  4 1 

into  which  I  was  ushered  was  oriental  in  its  magnificence. 
The  floor  was  covered  with  a  carpet  as  soft  as  velvet,  while 
the  walls  were  lined  with  alternate  stripes  of  blue  and 
yellow  silk  which  tempered  both  the  light  and  heat  of  the 
sun,  which,  on  the  rock  of  Malaga,  \vas  something  more 
to  be  dreaded  than  even  the  enemies  who  held  its  walls. 

"Good  morrow,  Capitan,"  said  my  lord,  heartily, 
extending  his  hand  and  taking  mine.  "I  am  proud  to 
have  the  honor  of  your  acquaintance.  This  is  my  friend, 
Sir  Egbert  Stratton,  of  Northumberland  ;  the  Capitan- 
del  Porro,  Sir  Egbert. " 

I  could  but  smile,  both  at  the  sound  of  my  new  name 
in  his  mouth,  and  the  grave  bow  with  which  my  kinsman 
received  my  salutation. 

"  Give  him  your  neive,  Sir  Egbert,"  said  Lord  Darcy 
ia  English  ;  "  give  him  your  neive  ;  by  God's  mercy,  man, 
it  is  worth  something  to  clutch  such  a  paw  and  find  such 
a  grip  as  that  in  this  land  of  lady-fingers  !  If  it  isn't  an 
English  grip,  it  is  one  that  minds  an  Englishman  of  home.  " 

Perhaps  my  face  showed  some  consciousness  at  this 
allusion  to  my  strength  of  arm  which  had  always  been 
notable,  for  my  host  made  haste  to  say  in  apology  : 

"  I  crave  your  pardon,  Sir  Capitan.  My  Spanish  is 
none  of  the  best,  and  except  English  and  the  French, 
which  the  fashion  of  French  queens  and  a  divided  realm 
have  made  familiar  with  us,  I  know  no  other,  saving 
some  few  scraps  of  Latin.  Our  good  Queen  Margaret  of 
Anjou  was  wont  to  commend  my  French." 

"  A  Biscayan  should  be  able  to  comprehend  the  songs 
of  Anjou, "  I  made  answer  in  the  speech  of  Aquitaine. 

"  By  my  faith, "  he  exclaimed,  "  this  is  fortunate.  So 
you  are  a  Biscayan  ?  I  had  heard  that  you  were  a  for 
eigner  like  ourselves,  but  you  are  so  good  a  Spaniard  in 
look  and  speech  that  I  could  not  believe  it.  However, 
you  Biscayans  are  'akin  to  all  and  at  home  everywhere/ 
as  the  proverb  hath  it. " 


142  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

Then  we  sat  down  on  Moorish  couches  with  lion-skins 
spread  over  them,  and  talked  of  the  siege,  the  courage  of 
the  Mussulmans,  and  the  chances  of  success.  A  servant 
brought  wine  ;  we  drank  each  other's  healths,  and  there 
were  many  compliments  upon  the  conduct  and  discipline 
of  my  men. 

"  By  the  way,"  said  Lord  Darcy,  as  I  rose  to  go,  "that 
is  a  pretty  bit  of  steel  you  carry." 

He  nodded  towards  the  sword  my  father  had  given  me, 
as  he  spoke. 

"  I  believe  it  is  a  genuine  Toledo,"  I  answered  mod 
estly.  "  My  Lord,  the  Archbishop  of  that  famous  see, 
made  me  a  present  for  what  he  was  kind  enough  to 
regard  as  a  good  service. " 

"  Yes,  yes;  we  have  heard  of  that  ; — the  time  when 
you  intervened  with  half  a  dozen  men  to  save  Spain  her 
two  most  famous  grandees.  By  my  soul,  from  what  they 
tell,  it  was  a  brave  thing,  and  unless  thou  art  greatly  belied 
thou  didst  have  no  mean  weapon  in  hand  before  my 
Lord  Cardinal  endowed  thee  with  the  best  of  his  city's 
ancient  make,  as  no  doubt  it  is.  If  you  will  permit — 

I  drew  forth  the  slender  blade  and  balancing  it  on  my 
hand  presented  him  the  crossed  hilt.  He  took  it  daintily, 
ran  his  eye  along  its  polished  blue  length  ;  breathed  on  it 
from  hilt  to  point  and  watched  the  even,  swift  disappear 
ance  of  the  white  film,  with  that  enthusiasm  which  only 
a  soldier  can  feel  for  that  most  perfect  product  of  the 
forge,  a  finely-wrought,  evenly-tempered  and  truly-bal 
anced  blade.  Then  he  pressed  its  point  on  the  floor  and 
watched  it  bend  as  evenly  as  a  bow  until  the  hilt  was 
nigh  on  a  level  with  the  point.  The  walls  of  the  tent 
were  hung  with  costly  weapons  and  deftly  wrought 
armor.  One  blade  after  another  was  taken  down  and 
compared  with  that  they  held,  in  every  case  to  the 
plain  disadvantage  of  the  other. 

"  I  never  saw  its  like,"  said  Lord  Darcy  with  a  sigh,  as 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 


he  returned  it  to  me,  "  and  never  but  one  to  compare  with 
it.  That  was  a  blade  which  the  King  of  Portugal  gave 
to  his  cousin  Henry  VI.  that  was,  of  England,  and 
which  he,  or  rather  his  Queen  Margaret  of  Anjou,  gave 
after  the  battle  of  Towton  to  Sir  Tudor  Lake,  now  Baron 
Trude  of  Edgemont.  It  was  the  very  picture  of  this,  and 
came,  I  doubt  not,  from  the  same  smithy.  An'  his  Grace 
of  Toledo  hath  another  of  the  same  sort,  I  would  the  Pay- 
nim  might  waylay  him  again,  sometime  when  I  am  within 
call ;  though  I  confess  I  would  like  not  such  extravagant 
odds  as  you  must  have  faced." 

"  By  the  way,"  he  added  as  he  walked  with  me  towards 
the  door,  "it  is  an 
odd  thing,  but  a  son 
of  this  same  Baron 
Trude,  came  with  vis 
from  Bristol,  bound 
for  Cordova,  I  was 
told  ;  but  the  cub 
deserted  ere  we  had 
hardly  set  foot  in 
Spain,  and  we  have 
heard  nothing  of  him 
since.  I  misdoubt 
he  is  making  love 
to  some  black-eyed 
beauty  in  Seville  ; 

for  which,  in  truth,  I  blame  him  not.  He  was  a  sullen 
lout,  though  of  good  figure  enough,  with  no  lack  of 
thews,  so  that  I  do  not  wonder  he  had  little  call  for 
a  clerical  life.  His  lordship  thought  he  might  wish  to 
come  to  the  wars,  but  his  real  aim,  it  seems,  was  to 
get  his  son  within  range  of  the  black-robed  gentry  of  the 
Inquisition,  who  he  thought  might  find  a  way  to  cure 
him  of  his  antipathy  to  a  cloister  ;  as  no  doubt  they  will 
if  he  slip  not  through  their  fingers.  I  learn  that  strict 


144  OUT  OP'  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

search  has  been  instituted  for  him,  and  even  proclama 
tion  made  along-  the  lines  to-day  with  offer  of  reward.  You 
had  not  heard  of  it  ?  You  must  have  missed  the  herald  on 
your  way  hither.  I'll  venture  a  duke  they  get  no  word  of 
him." 

From  that  moment  I  felt  secure  in  my  disguise,  and 
was  grateful  indeed,  for  the  fortunate  claim  of  Bis- 
cayan  origin.  It  was  peculiarly  happy  because  of  the 
varied  and  adventurous  character  of  that  people  which 
exactly  suited  my  role  of  a  foreign  mercenary. 

Is  it  any  wonder  I  was  happy  as  I  rode  back  to  my 
quarters  after  this  visit  to  Lord  Darcy  ?  My  duty  was. 
arduous,  it  is  true,  but  the  life  was  not  unpleasant.  The 
glare  of  the  hot  sun  was  somewhat  trying  by  day,  but 
the  nights,  with  the  soft  light  of  the  semi-tropical  moon, 
the  coolness  of  the  sea-breeze,  the  subdued  hum  of  voices, 
and  the  echoing  challenges  of  the  sentries  of  the  opposing 
hosts,  had  a  strange  charm  for  one  accustomed  to  the 
murky  stillness  of  our  Gloster  nights.  It  was  only  when 
the  hot  wind  they  call  the  sirocco  blew  on  the  desert  of 
Africa  and  leaped  fierce  and  unquenched  across  the  inter 
vening-  sea,  that  the  heat  became  more  than  one  might 
bear  without  serious  discomposure.  It  was  at  this  time 
that  there  happened  to  me  an  event  so  notable  that  it 
might  almost  be  accounted  a  miracle,  as  indeed  it  was,  in 
its  consequences. 


IT  was  a  fearful  night.  For  two  days  the  hot  breath  of 
the  simoom  had  floated  over  us.  The  desert  blasts,  un- 
cooled  by  the  glaring  sea  over  which  they  came,  parched 
lip  and  eyelid.  The  shrunk  skin  cracked.  The  hair  and 
beard  were  like  needles  piercing  the  shrinking  flesh.  The 
breath  scorched  the  nostrils  and  burned  the  lungs.  Men 
lay  panting  on  the  ground,  indifferent  to  duty  and  regard 
less  of  discipline.  The  sentries  left  their  posts  ;  officers 
neglected  their  duties.  Save  that  the  dwellers  in  the  be 
leaguered  city  were  as  sorely  smitten  as  ourselves,  there 
had  soon  been  an  end  of  the  siege.  I  think  two  thousand 
good  men  with  fresh  air  in  their  nostrils  could  have  put 
to  flight  our  whole  army  of  thirty  thousand. 

Our  lines  were  drawn  close  about  the  city's  walls. 
Where  we  were  posted  they  were  scarce  fifty  steps  apart. 
Yet  neither  on  wall  nor  rampart  was  there  any  sentry  to 
be  seen.  Men  threw  away  their  arms  and  sought  only 
shelter  and  respite  from  the  dry,  withering  heat.  None 
wore  armor,  for  the  glistering  metal  burned  through  buff 
10  145 


146  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

and  gherkin.  From  the  city  came  the  wail  of  women  and 
children,  crowding  the  housetops  and  the  narrow  streets. 
By  night  it  seemed  even  hotter  than  by  day.  The  sun 
sank  red  as  blood  behind  the  shimmering  hills.  The  stars 
simpered  dim  and  trembling  through  the  thirsty  air.  The 
sun  rose  after  the  sleepless  night  like  molten  iron  in  hue 
and  hot  as  midday.  The  panting  hosts  faced  each  other, 
helpless  for  harm. 

It  was  the  night  of  the  third  day  of  the  simoom.  Too 
restless  to  remain  within  the  redoubt  I  stepped  through 
an  unguarded  sally-port  into  the  space  between  the  work 
in  my  charge  and  the  city's  walls.  From  instinct  rather 
than  preference  or  a  sense  of  duty,  I  wore  a  sword,  but 
neither  armor  nor  helmet.  Despite  the  havoc  of  war,  an 
ancient  olive  grove  still  intervened  between  us  and  the 
wall.  The  enemy  would  not  destroy  it,  because  it  sheltered 
them  from  our  fire  almost  as  well  as  the  wall  itself.  The 
great  gnarled  trunks  and  the  gray  low-hanging  limbs  were 
serious  obstacles  both  to  sight  and  approach.  Under  this 
shelter  the  swarthy  Moors  rested  after  they  had  repulsed 
our  attacks.  In  a  month  we  had  advanced  our  lines  scarce 
a  hundred  steps,  and  every  inch  of  that  distance  had  been 
soaked  with  blood.  The  end  would  not  be  far  off  if  we 
could  maintain  our  position  ;  but  the  desert  was  not  in 
clined  to  abandon  the  Paynim  children  it  had  nursed.  On 
the  third  day,  it  was  openly  rumored  that  the  siege  would 
be  raised  if  two  more  such  days  should  follow. 

It  was  a  foolish  thing  for  an  officer  in  charge  of  an  im 
portant  post  to  do  ;  but  no  one  can  guess  who  has  not  felt 
it,  the  torture  of  the  dry,  scorching,  moaning  wind  that 
blew  over  us  with  unceasing  steadiness,  to  one  accustomed 
to  the  coolness  and  moisture  of  our  British  Islands.  It 
seemed  to  me  that  some  slight  respite  might  be  found  under 
the  low  branching  olives,  and  springing  from  the  ground 
where  I  had  lain  in  misery  through  the  sleepless  hours,  I 
caught  up  my  sword,  threw  the  baldric  over  my  shoulder 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA.  147 

and  went  through  the  sally-port  out  into  the  contested 
ground  that  lay  between  the  lines. 

There  was  a  dull  red  glow  in  the  sky,  but  the  earth  was 
wrapped  in  that  singular  gloom  which  is  not  darkness  yet 
baffles  the  sense  of  sight  as  thoroughly  as  if  it  were  Tartar 
ean.  I  could  not  see  the  trees  in  the  old  olive  orchard, 
though  I  could  hear  the  wind  rustling  their  gray  leaves 
and  knew  where  stood  the  great  knotty  trunks  cased  in 
dark  shining  bark.  I  moved  about,  not  cautiously  but 
carelessly  from  tree  to  tree,  restlessly  feeling  the  hot 
trunks  in  a  vain  quest  for  one  cooler  than  the  rest. 
Suddenly,  I  became  conscious  that  a  man  in  white  Moor 
ish  costume  was  leaning  against  one  of  these  trees  and 
watching  my  movements.  The  fact  did  not  seem  to 
concern  me  greatly,  for  those  three  days  of  hellish  tor 
ment  had  made  me  insensible  to  fear.  At  the  same  time 
I  heard  myself  addressed  in  English,  spoken  correctly 
enough,  save  for  certain  words,  but  with  an  intonation 
somewhat  peculiar. 

' '  The  Capitan  Leek  is  very  bold  to  wander  so  far  from 
his  works  !  " 

The  words  rather  than  their  import  awoke  me  at  once 
to  a  consciousness  of  peril.  To  be  addressed  in  my  own 
tongue  and  find  my  assumed  name  translated  into  one 
so  much  resembling  my  patronymic,  was  startling  enough 
to  one  who  had  thought  himself  so  well  hidden  by  it. 
Instinctively,  I  slid  near  a  giant  trunk  upon  my  left  so  as 
to  be  protected  from  attack  upon  that  side.  There  was  a 
low  laugh,  as  If  in  response  to  my  movement. 

"The  Sieur  Leek  need  not  fear,"  said  the  voice,  now 
with  a  decided  Morisco  modulation. 

"  I  wear  a  sword,"  I  answered  haughtily. 

Again  there  was  a  light  laugh. 

"But  no  armor ;  and  a  Christian  without  armor  is  like  a 
bow  without  a  string. " 

The  answer  stung  me,  both  because  of  its   truth   and 


14$  OUT  Of  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

because  the  Moors,  by  greater  activity,  oppose  their  naked 
bodies  not  unsuccessfully  to  our  attacks,  so  that  unless  a 
man  be  wholly  encased,  like  a  snail,  the  advantage  is  like 
to  be  with  him  that  hath  the  greater  freedom  and,  as  it 
seems  to  me,  the  better  valor.  Wherefore,  I  deem  it 
well  for  manliness  and  hardihood  that  the  heavier  sorts  of 
armor  are  of  late  going  much  out  of  use,  especially  with 
them  that  be  the  foremost  fighters  of  our  time.  However, 
I  answered  stoutly  : 

"I  have  never  refused  to  cross  swords  with  another, 
whether  in  armor  or  in  gherkin  !  "  and  I  drew  my  blade 
to  make  good  my  words. 

"Nay,  nay,"  answered  the  other.  "  Put  up  thy  sword 
an'  it  please  thee  !  No  man  doeth  himself  any  honor  in 
battle  when  '  the  curse  of  the  desert '  filleth  his  nostrils  ; 
I  came  not  out  to  fight." 

' '  Who  art  thou,  and  why  art  thou  here  ?  "  I  asked. 

"Good  sooth,  I  might  well  ask  thee  that  question,  and 
I  think  one  answer  might  serve  for  us  both.  I  am  he  that 
hath  command  of  the  wall  over  against  thine  own  work, 
and  I  came  forth  from  fear  lest  thy  vigilance  might  take 
advantage  of  my  watchers'  lassitude." 

"Thou  art  then  that  most  valiant  Abrahen  Zenete  whom 
every  Christian  soldier  honors  for  his  courage  and  human 
ity  ? " 

"I  thank  thee  ;  I  am,  indeed,  he  thou  namest,  but  thy 
words  do  me  too  much  honor.  I  am  but  one  of  the  Cap 
tains  of  our  host  who  fight  for  our  liberty,  our  homes  and 
our  faith,  against  a  cruel  and  relentless  invader,  whose 
hope  may  the  Prophet  blast !  " 

"How  knew  you  my  name?  " 

"The  bravest  of  the  Duke  of  Medina-Sidonia's  Captains 
is  not  unknown  to  them  that  fight  against  him." 

"But  why  give  me  this  name,  instead  of  that  by  which 
I  am  known  ?  " 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA.  149 

' '  Thou  callcst  thyself  '  del  Porro, '  which  is  '  leek  '  in  thy 
tongue. " 

"  How  knewest  thou  I  was  English?" 

"Because  I  have  often  heard  thee  use  that  tongue  in 
encouraging  thy  men  in  fight.  At  such  times  nature  as 
serts  her  power  and  men  use  unconsciously  their  native 
speech.  I  have  often  heard  thee  mouth  English  oaths  at 
thy  Spanish  soldiers  in  tones  loud  enough  to  be  heard  over 
half  the  camp  ;  for  it  is  thus  that  the  Christians  piously 
fulfill  their  Prophet's  command,  'Swear  not  at  all.'" 

"How  came  a  Moor  to  be  so  familiar  with  English 
words  and  Christian  teachings  ?  "  I  asked,  curiously. 

"  Because  the  light  of  Abrahen  Zenete's  home  has  been 
an  Englishwoman's  love." 

"And  is  she  still  a  captive?"  I  asked.  Somehow  I 
could  not  think  of  an  English  woman  in  the  home  of  a 
Mussulman,  except  as  a  prisoner.  I  had  yet  to  learn  how 
little  love  recks  of  such  differences  of  race  and  faith. 

"She  was  never  a  captive  from  the  hour  Abrahen  Ze 
nete's  eye  rested  on  her,"  was  the  reply.  "  She  was  free 
as  the  air  to  go  or  stay  beneath  his  lintel." 

"  And  does  she  yet  remain  ?  " 

"  She  stayed  for  twenty  years,  and  then  died  a  true 
believer  in  the  Christian  prophet,  through  whom  she  hoped 
for  everlasting  life. " 

"And  thou  ? " 

"Were  other  Christians  like  her,  Abrahen  Zenete's  heart 
had  never  known  doubt ;  but  all  that  she  was  not  they  are, 
and  all  that  she  was,  it  seems  to  me,  they  are  not." 

"What  mean'st  thou  ?  " 

' '  What  boots  it  to  tell  ?  Thou  art  a  Christian — a  believer 
in  the  worst  religion  men  ever  professed — a  religion  which 
first  taught  the  world  that  a  wrong  done  to  an  unbeliever 
is  no  sin." 

"Does  not  thy  faith  also  teach  that  the  unbeliever  shall 
be  destroyed  ?  " 


150  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

"Alas,  yes;  what  the  Christians  taught,  the  followers 
of  the  Prophet  learned  too  well.  But  they  did  not  learn 
treachery  nor  drunkenness  nor  the  robbery  of  each  other 
under  the  forms  of  law.  The  Mussulman  is  bad  enough, 
but  he  is  not  so  avaricious,  so  cruel,  nor  so  base  as  the 
Christian." 

"Thou  dost  not  hope  to  see  her  again — in  the  other 
world  ?  "  I  asked,  wondering  what  must  be  the  Mahometan's 
thought  with  regard  to  a  woman  he  has  loved  on  earth, 
who  is  shut  out  of  Paradise  by  his  faith. 

"  That  is  as  Allah  wills,"  he  answered  with  solemn 
rebuke. 

"  What  was  her  name?  " 

"Like  yours — Berenice  Leek.  That  is  why  I  retrans 
lated  your  name  so  readily.  * 

"  Berenice  Leek  !  I  had  once  a  kinswoman  of  that 
name  who  went  to  visit  other  kin  in  Portugal,  and  was 
never  heard  of  afterward  !  " 

"It  was  from  a  Portuguese  ship  she  was  taken,  as  I  have 
been  told,"  he  answered,  carelessly.  "  I  know  nothing  of 
that.  She  was  a  captive  when  I  first  saw  her ;  I  was  the 
captive  afterward." 

"And  did  she  have  no  children  ?  " 

"One — who  will  soon  be  a  captive  also — but  alas,  not 
of  the  Moors — a  Christian  captive,  and  therefore  without 
hope ! " 

"  Why  without  hope  ?  what  dost  thou  mean  ?  " 

"I  but  repeat  what  you  must  know  ;  the  city  cannot 
long  hold  out.  Then  its  inhabitants  will  be  slaves.  Were 
I  a  Christian,  I  would  save  both  Berenice's  child  and  my 
self  this  fate;  but  I  cannot  strike  one  who  is  the  seal  of 
such  a  love,  and  the  Prophet  hath  forbidden  any  man  to 
take  his  own  life.  Unless  your  swords  are  merciful,  I  and 
my  child  will  both  grace  your  conquest.  For  myself  I 
care  not.  You  say  Berenice  was  a  kinswoman  ?  "  he  asked 
after  a  moment's  pause, 


OUT  Of   THE  SUNSE 71  SEA.  151 

"As  I  do  believe.'1 

"  She  had  a  cousin  who  was  a  gallant  knight ;  his  name 
was  Sir  Tudor,— but  he  must  be  an  old  man  now  ?" 
"He  is  my  father." 
"Then,      indeed, 
thou    art    bound    in 
blood  with  her,  and 
if  with   her   to    her 
child  also  !  " 

"  How  old  is  thy 
son  ? " 

' '  My  son  !  Ah, 
yes, — fifteen  sum 
mers —  w  h  e  n  the 
harvest  moon  shall 
shine." 

"  It  is  a  tender 
age  to  face  the  perils 
of  a  city's  sack  !  " 

I  shuddered  as  I 
thought  what  scenes 
would  be  enacted 
w  hen  the  city 
should  be  given  up 
to  pillage.  I  was  a 
young  soldier,  but  I 
had  heard  that  story 
often  enough  from 
my  men,  who  boast 
ed  freely  of  the  hell 
ish  things  they 
would  do  when  that 

day  came,  as  come  I  knew  it    must,  and  that   not   many 
weeks  hence. 

"And  your  own  flesh  and  blood,  Sieur  Capitan  ?  " 
"You  do  not  seem  greatly  concerned?"  I  asked  curi 
ously. 


'5* 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 


"Save  for  the  child,  not  at  all.  What  Allah  wills,  must 
be.  That  is  enough  for  them  that  believe  in  his  name." 

"  Is  not  the  child  a  believer?  " 

"  Hark  ye,  Sir  Knight  :  I  can  tell  thee  what  it  might 
be  ill  for  Moorish  ears  to  hear.  I  fear  the  child  believeth 
not  save  as  did  thy  kinswoman.  I  have  never  asked — 
and  yet  I  know  that  but  for  love  of  me,  the  child  would 
seek  the  mother's  people  as  it  clings  to  the  mother's 
faith." 

"  Why  should  not  both  father  and  son  come  within  our 
lines  ? " 

"  You  a  soldier  and  ask  me  this  !  " 

"  The  child  hath  not  borne  arms  !  " 

"  Not  so  much  as  bent  a  bow  in  the  city's  defense  ;  nor 
even  mocked  thee  from  the  walls." 

' '  That  is  very  strange. " 

"Such  was  my  command  ;  besides,  as  I  tell  thee,  the 
child  hath  a  divided  heart  ;  on  the  one  side  a  fathers 
love,  on  the  other  a  mother's  faith. " 

"  If  I  but  had  him  in  our  lines — 

"What  wouldst  thou  do  with  him  ?" 

I  could  almost  feel  the  twitching  of  the  fierce  face  that 
bent  toward  me  in  the  darkness. 

"  I  would  make  him  my  squire,  or  if  too  young  for  that 
my  page. " 

"And  thou  wouldst  save  him  from  harm  ? " 

"As  he  were  my  brother,  rather  than  my  cousin  by  I 
know  not  how  many  removes.  WTe  Welsh  people  count 
not  distance  as  weakening  the  claim  of  kindred." 

"  And  if  I  bring  him  to  thee  wilt  thou  do  this  ?  " 

"  How  shall  I  get  him  within  the  bulwarks  ?  " 

"As  thou  earnest  out,  I  trow  he  might  enter  in." 

"But  to-night  the  guards  are  weary  and  negligent  be 
cause  of  the  terrible  heat." 

"And  to-morrow  night  they  will  sleep  because  the  wind 
will  cease  at  the  going  down  of  the  sun. " 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA.  153 

"  What  dost  thou  propose  ? " 

"Meet  me  here,  and  I  will  deliver  thy  kinswoman's 
child  into  thy  hands." 

I  hesitated  ;  might  it  not  be  a  trap  ? 

' '  Thou  fearest  treachery, "  he  said  after  a  moment's  pause. 
"Abrahen.  Zenete  hath  never  spoken  false  to  man  or 
woman.  Yet  I  blame  thee  not  ;  the  soldier  hath  need 
beware  of  his  enemy  ;  and  liars  be  found  of  every  creed 
and  nation.  Yet  if  thou  wilt  consider,  thou  needst  incur 
no  peril  for  thyself  or  thy  cause.  Thou  hast  only  to  open 
the  sally-port  and  give  what  signal  thou  wilt,  and  if  any 
but  a  child  answer,  thou  hast  but  to  hold  the  way  with 
such  force  as  thou  mayst  provide. " 

"  But  if  the  child  should  betray  me  ?  " 

"  Peril  ripens  discretion  faster  than  years." 

"  Our  camp  is  a  poor  refuge  for  one  of  Moorish  blood." 

"Thou  hast  need  of  a  pretty  page." 

"Faith  !  there  be  few  tents  of  them  that  hold  command 
without  such  ornament  ;  but  I  have  no  kin  to  train  to 
chivalry." 

"The  child  of  Abrahen  Zenete  and  thy  kinswoman 
should  prove  no  inept  scholar." 

"  Save  that  he  leaves  his  father " 

"  By  the  father's  command,  remember." 

' '  Let  it  be  as  thou  wishest,  though  if  it  were  known 
that  I  had  been  in  treaty  with  thee,  or  had  taken  one  of  the 
besieged  within  our  lines,  I  fancy  they  whom  I  serve 
would  give  me  exceeding  short  shrift." 

"Think  you  Hamet  el  Zegri  is  a  tender-hearted  leader? 
Were  it  known  that  I  had  speech  with  thee  save  at  the 
sword's  point,  where  think  you  my  head  would  be  to 
morrow  ?  " 

I  knew  his  words  were  true,  for  one  of  their  Captains  had 
been  beheaded  on  the  wall  in  front  of  our  salient  only  a 
few  days  before  for  holding  secret  communication  with 
some  of  our  forces. 


154  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

"Well,"  I  said,  "I  will  risk  it.  After  the  second  watch 
is  set  to-morrow  night  I  will  be  at  the  portal  and  will  give 
this  signal." 

I  whistled  a  bar  of  a  chanson  I  had  learned  in  boyhood 
at  the  castle  in  Aquitaine. 

"And  I  will  answer  it,"  he  said,  and  whistled  the  same 
with  great  softness  and  precision. 

"  Where  learnedst  thou  that  ?  "  I  asked  in  surprise. 

' '  At  the  court  of  King  Rene, ''  he  answered,  ' '  where  even 
a  Saracen  was  welcome  if  he  had  but  skill  in  min 
strelsy.  " 

The  answer  softened  me  toward  him  greatly. 

"What  is  the  child's  name  ?  " 

"Xarif." 

"Speaks  he  his  mother's  tongue?  " 

"Assuredly  ;  also  Castilian — learned  at  Seville. 

"How  at  Seville  ?  " 

"The  mother  went  there  every  year  until  the  two  last 
past. " 

"And  none  knew  who  she  was  ?  " 

"Only  her  confessors,  the  first  of  which  was  the  arch- 
priest,  Gonzalez  Jimenes,and  after  he  was  cast  into  prison, 
the  Fray  Diego  Deza. " 

"  He  is  now  the  chaplain  of  the  Infant,  Don  Juan. " 

"  So  have  I  heard." 

"And  in  attendance  on  him  here  in  the  camp  ?" 

"  It  is  well.  Shouldst  thou  have  need  of  assistance  or 
advice,  he  will  not  fail  thee.  The  other,  I  am  told,  hath 
become  the  saint  of  the  Convent  de  los  Reyes,  and  is 
in  high  favor  with  their  Majesties.  He  is  a  good  man, 
would  there  were  more  like  him  in  Spain." 

"That  I  may  know  the  lad  when  he  answers  my  hail, 
let  him  give  the  word,  '  Tallerte.  " 

The  midnight  cry  rang  shrill  and  clear  through  the  hot 
crackling  air  from  the  tower  of  the  citadel.  My  com 
panion  started. 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 


'55 


"  I  must  to  my  post  !  "  he  said,  hastily.  "  The  Prophet 
guard  thee  !  " 

"Adieu,"  I  responded,  but  even  before  I  spoke,  I  knew 
he  was  no  longer  there. 

I  returned  cautiously  to  my  sally-port,  and  sat  all  night 
with  my  back  against  it,  fearing  lest  my  folly  had  exposed 
the  work  to  peril. 

With  sunset  next  evening,  as  the  Moor  had  predicted, 
the  South  wind  fell,  and  as  the  darkness  came  on,  a  breeze 
of  most  languorous  coolness  came  up  from  the  West. 
Hardly  had  it  touched  the  nostrils  when  the  inclination  to 
sleep  became  all  but  irresistible.  Men  dropped  down 
wherever  they  happened  to  be,  and  with  a  sigh  of  satis 
faction,  sunk  into  deep  and  untroubled  slumber.  Nature 
was  making  amend  for  those  days  and  nights  of  torture. 

Writh  the  utmost  difficulty  I  kept  awake  until  the  second 
watch  was  set.  Ten  minutes  later  the  guard  at  the  sally 
port  was  curled  up  on  his  post,  snoring  like  the  seven 
sleepers.  I  took  his  spear  to  prevent  the  chance  of  his 
attacking  me  unawares  should  he  awaken,  and  peeping 
through  the  wicket  looked  out  into  the  orchard  where  the 
moon  shone  almost  as  bright  as  day,  through  the  silver- 
gray  leafage.  All  was  still.  I  had  taken  no  precaution, 
except  to  come  fully  armed  and  clad  in  mail.  For  a 
moment  I  hesitated.  Then  putting  my  lips  to  the  arrow- 
slit  in  the  gate  I  whistled  the  strain  agreed  on.  Instantly, 
the  response  came,  and  cautiously  opening  the  port,  1  saw 
a  lad  alone  and  bowed  under  a  heavy  burden,  cross  the 
belt  of  light  and  stagger  swiftly  toward  the  wall. 

' '  Xarif !  "  I  whispered. 

' '  Tallerte  !  "  came  the  answer  in  soft  Southern  tones. 

I  caught  him  by  the  hand  and  drew  him  quickly  within 
the  gate. 

"What  is  this?"  I  asked,  touching  the  burthen  which 
he  bore. 

"A  present  from  my  sire,  Sieur  Capitan,"  he  answered, 


156  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

as  he  gasped  for  breath,  and  let  it  fall  at  my  feet.  He 
was  a  comely  lad,  clad  in  a  jaunty  Andalusian  costume, 
slight,  and  panted  with  his  exertion. 

"  It  is  too  heavy  for  thee,  lad,"  I  said,  taking  his  hand, 
and  at  the  same  time  reaching  down  to  lift  up  the  bundle 
he  had  brought.  "Good  sooth,"  I  continued,  feeling  its 
weight  and  clasping  the  thin  fingers  within  my  own,  "I 
wonder  thou  couldst  bear  it  at  all  !  " 

"It  was  only  a  step,  and — he  wished  it." 

The  little  fellow  leaned  against  the  wall  and  began  to 
sob  hysterically. 

"There!  There  !"  I  said  roughly,  to  hide  my  own 
weakness.  "  None  of  that  now  !  Come  !  " 

I  restored  the  soldier's  spear,  and,  taking  the  roll,  which 
seemed  like  a  packet  of  merchandise,  under  one  arm,  and 
leading  my  new  page  by  the  hand,  made  my  way  back 
to  my  tent.  When  I  undid  the  fastenings  I  found  the 
bundle  to  contain  a  magnificent  oriental  rug,  within  which 
were  wrapped  a  diamond-hilted  sword,  a  pair  of  costly 
daggers,  and  a  small  vest  of  exquisitely  wrought  chain- 
mail,  a  light  helmet  of  brass  cross-bars,  covered  with  red 
and  yellow  silk,  a  doublet  of  green  velvet  slashed  with 
red,  and  a  bunch  of  light  javelins  made  of  some  dark  wood 
I  had  never  seen  before. 

"  In  faith,  thou  comest  well  provided  !  "  I  said,  lightly. 

There  was  no  answer,  and  looking  up  I  saw  the  lad's 
eyes  fastened  with  the  glare  which  only  extreme  hunger 
gives,  upon  the  remnant  of  my  evening  meal,  which  lay 
upon  the  table  beside  the  lamp  on  the  other  side  of  the 
tent.  I  knew  at  once  what  it  meant.  Famine  wr.s  within 
the  city.  The  pale  features  were  drawn  and  tense  ;  the 
delicate  lips  quivered,  and  the  small  hands  were  clenched 
in  the  vain  effort  to  maintain  his  self-control. 

"  Poor  fellow  !  "  I  said,   "  thou  art  hungry  ?  " 

"  Pardon,"  he  murmured,  while  the  tears  stole  down  the 
thin  cheeks,  "  I  have  eaten  nothing  for  two  days." 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA.  157 

"And  I'll  warrant  not  much  for  many  clays  before,"  I 
answered. 

Seizing  a  flask  of  wine  and  dashing  a  little  into  a  cup  of 
water,  I  handed  it  to  him  to  drink.  Then  I  gave  him  a 
bit  of  bread,  and  after  a  moment  another  and  another. 
Then  more  wine  and  more  food,  but  slowly,  for  I  had 
heard  Signor  Caboto  tell  of  finding  a  man  once  cast  away 
at  sea  who  died  of  overeating  when  he  was  found,  though 
he  ate  not  half  as  much  as  a  hearty  man  might  have  done 
at  a  single  meal.  So  I  held  the  youngster  back,  or  rather 
he  restrained  himself,  for  though  he  was  famishing,  he 
made  no  effort  to  take  aught  save  what  I  offered  him. 
I  judged  that  more  wine  and  less  food  would  be  to  his 
advantage,  though  it  might  for  the  time  prove  too  much 
for  his  head.  So  I  plied  him  well  with  the  cup,  and  had, 
by  and  bye,  the  satisfaction  to  see  him  sink  down  upon 
the  gay  carpet  he  had  brought,  and  in  a  moment  more  he 
was  sleeping  as  peacefully  as  a  kitten  at  my  feet.  I 
watched  him  for  a  time,  pitying  the  hardship  he  had 
endured  and  grateful  for  a  chance  to  save  him  from  the 
fate  that  would  have  been  his  on  the  downfall  of  the 
city. 

Finally,  moved  by  I  know  not  what  concourse  of  senti 
ments,  I  lifted  the  frail  body  in  my  arms,  laid  him  on  my 
own  couch,  and  even  kissed  the  childish  lips  now  red  with 
the  restored  current  of  life. 

Then  I  removed  my  armor  and  stretched  myself  on  the 
carpet  with  my  saddle  for  a  pillow  and  slept  until  the  call 
of  the  morning  watch  aroused  the  camp.  At  first,  I  could 
not  imagine  why  I  should  be  lying  there  on  the  floor  of 
my  tent.  Then  I  began  to  recall  the  events  of  the  past 
night  and  when  I  had  shaken  myself  together  and  donned 
the  doublet  I  had  laid  aside  when  I  sank  to  sleep,  I  stepped 
softly  over  to  the  couch  to  inspect  my  new  page  by  day 
light.  A  head  set  round  with  heavy  chestnut  locks  was 
lying  on  the  pillow  ;  the  face  was  thin  from  hunger  and 


158  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

the  eyes  were  sunken,  but  the  lids  were  delicately  veined, 
the  brows  cleanly  curved,  the  cheeks  soft  and  fair.  The 
close-clasped  doublet  had  evidently  been  too  confining  for 
the  dreaming-  brain  to  endure  its  restraint.  The  uncon 
scious  hands  had  unclasped  its  bracings  and  now  lay 
crossed  upon  the  quiet  breast  that  rose  and  fell  beneath 
them  with  the  easy  suspirations  of  youth.  The  slender 
hands  were  not  able  to  conceal  the  fact,  however,  that  it 
was  a  woman's  bosom  on  which  they  rested.  I  stood 
awhile,  stupefied  with  wonder  ;  then  drew  the  covering 
gently  over  the  exposed  loveliness,  stooped  and  kissed 
the  soft  lips,  and  stole  away  to  meditate  on  the  new  com 
plications  which  had  come  into  my  life. 

I  could  understand  now  her  father's  anxiety  that  she 
should  escape  from  the  city  before  it  fell.  The  horror  I 
felt  at  the  fate  which  might  have  befallen  her  served  to 
impress  me  the  more  fully  with  the  responsibility  I  had 
undertaken,  and  drew  my  heart  in  a  kindly,  almost  pater 
nal,  way  to  the  hapless  kinswoman  whom  fate  had  thus 
strangely  placed  under  my  protection. 

My  first  impulse  was  to  ask  leave  to  present  myself  to 
her  Majesty  and  cast  myself  and  the  waif  in  my  charge, 
wholly  upon  her  grace  and  mercy.  Well  would  it  have 
been  for  both  of  us  had  I  done  so.  Isabella  of  Castile 
was  a  woman  of  a  sweet  and  noble  nature.  Though  what 
she  deemed  the  obligations  and  responsibilities  of  rulership 
made  her  do  many  harsh  and  cruel  things,  for  which  the 
kingdom  to  which  she  devoted  all  her  energies  will  have 
to  suffer  for  many  a  long  day,  she  was  true  as  steel  in  all 
that  touched  her  womanhood,  and  full  of  enthusiasm  for 
all  noble  things.  Besides,  she  had  almost  as  much  Eng 
lish  as  Spanish  blood  in  her  veins,  and  was  especially 
partial  to  all  things  English,  as  it  was  fitting  that  she 
should  be.  But  a  lad  of  eighteen  is  not  as  wise  as  a  man 
of  sixty,  though  he  may  be  a  stout  soldier,  wear  a  cap 
tain's  scarf,  and  have  a  goodly  company  under  his  coin- 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA.  159 

mand.  I  was  not  only  young  but  had  an  English  lad's 
suspicion  of  a  foreign  people.  Especially,  was  I  afraid  of 
the  consequences  that  might  follow  a  revelation  of  my 
identity.  Besides  that,  only  a  few  days  before  a  desper 
ate  attempt  had  been  made  upon  her  Majesty's  life,  or  the 
life  of  one  of  the  ladies  of  the  court,  whom  a  Moorish  fan 
atic,  claiming  to  have  a  message  which  must  be  delivered 
to  her  alone,  had  mistaken  for  the  Queen.  In  consequence 
of  this  the  strictest  orders  had  been  issued  against  all 
communication  with  the  enemy,  and  such  a  course  would 
have  compelled  me  to  acknowledge  an  offense  against 
which  the  penalty  of  death  had  been  proclaimed,  which, 
if  I  should  escape,  it  was  not  likely  I  would  retain  the 
advantage  which  good  fortune  had  cast  in  my  way.  Yet 
this  was  the  course  which  my  duty  as  a  soldier  and  as  a 
relative  of  the  poor  girl  now  in  my  care  plainly  demanded 
of  me.  Without  meaning  to  neglect  either,  I  chose  one 
which  entailed  unutterable  misery  upon  us  both. 


IT  was,  indeed,  a  pretty  page  who  greeted  me  on  my 
return  ;  but  if  I  had  not  already  surprised  her  secret  I 
think  it  would  have  betrayed  itself  in  the  feminine  touch 
the  seeming  lad  had  shown  in  the  arrangement  of  the 
tent.  It  had  been  swept  and  dusted.  The  couch  was 
daintily  spread.  The  oriental  rug  of  almost  priceless  value 
made  the  interior  resplendent  with  its  glory.  Arms  and 
armor  had  been  tastefully  arranged  on  the  racks  where 
hitherto  they  had  been  carelessly  thrown.  Fortunately, 
such  luxury  as  the  rug  indicated  was  not  uncommon,  and 
the  plunder  of  the  Moorish  towns  had  made  it  possible  to 
purchase  such  things  with  a  few  maravedis  which  at  other 
times  would  have  cost  a  fortune  ;  so  I  had  no  fear  that 
the  changed  condition  of  my  quarters  would  attract  un 
pleasant  attention. 

My  kinswoman  wore  at  this  time  the  shirt  of  light 
chain  mail  she  had  brought,  which  fell  half-way  to  her 
knees  and  was  gathered  round  her  waist  by  a  belt,  from 
which  hung  one  of  those  straight  Italian  daggers,  no 
wider  than  the  finger,  having  three  edges  and  three  hol 
lowed  sides,  which  they  call  stilletos.  It  is  a  dangerous 
weapon,  for  though  it  make  but  a  small  hole,  it  easily 
160 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSE T  SEA.  1 6 1 

sinketh  deep  and  the  blood  ceaseth  not  to  run  when  it 
cometh  away.  Its  handle  was  of  silver,  inlaid  with 
some  sort  of  precious  stones  that  looked  like  drops  of 
blood.  I  wondered  what  so  well  concealed  her  form,  but 
learned  afterwards  that  in  anticipation  of  the  need  of  such 
disguise  her  father  had  designed  for  her  a  sort  of  stomacher 
made  of  untanned  skins,  so  padded  that  it  would  have 
taken  sharper  eyeo  than  mine  to  find  the  woman  in  the 
seeming  lad  before  me,  had  it  not  been  for  the  accident 
of  the  morning. 

"Good  morrow,"  I  said.  "You  must  be  hungry. 
Pedrario  shall  hasten  the  potage,  and  in  the  meanwhile 
we  will  have  some  cakes  and  wine.  Hasten,  Pedrario," 
I  called  to  the  cook,  who  occupied  a  small  tent  at  the 
rear.  "And  mind  thou  hast  enough  for  three  ;  for  I  have 
now  a  growing  lad  to  feed,  and  this  cursed  wind  has  left 
me  with  an  appetite  which  makes  me  thankful  for  the 
Holy  Father's  grace,  seeing  this  is  a  Friday." 

For  the  Pope  by  special  bull  had  granted  them  that 
fought  against  the  Moors  exemption  from  the  fasts  of  the 
Church. 

When  I  turned  the  girl  had  already  brought  the  cakes 
from  the  leathern  bag  in  which  we  carried  our  supplies  ot 
that  sort  to  protect  them  both  from  the  rain  and  from  the 
many  insects  which  in  that  country  do  abound.  I  fancy 
her  hunger  had  led  her  to  discover  its  contents  before, 
though  I  do  not  think  she  had  tasted  a  crumb.  She  then 
filled  a  goblet  from  a  wine-skin  in  the  corner  of  the  tent, 
which  she  placed  upon  the  table  and  looked  up  at 
me  as  if  for  farther  direction.  In  every  movement  I  could 
now  detect  the  Moorish  girl  accustomed  to  anticipate  the 
wants  of  the  male  members  of  the  household,  whom  they 
serve  without  question  as  if  they  were  of  a  superior  race  ; 
as  indeed  they  are,  according  to  Mussulman  teaching. 

"Well  done,  Xarif, "  I  said.      "Xarif  is  thy  name,  is  it 

not?" 

ii 


1 62  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SKA. 

She  cast  down  her  eyes  and  the  hot  blood  mounted  to 
her  cheeks. 

•  "Thou  art  almost  as  deft  a  housekeeper  as  if  thou  haclst 
been  a  girl,"  I  continued,  with  that  propensity  to  torture 
those  we  have  in  our  power,  which  is,  I  think,  inherent  in 
most  men.  "  Thou  wilt  find  some  raisins  and  a  few  dates 
under  the  couch.  A  soldier's  larder  is  everywhere,  you 
know,  and  the  habit  of  putting  everything  in  skins,  which 
prevails  in  this  country,  is  very  convenient  for  us  who 
live  in  tents." 

She  found  and  put  them  on  the  table,  beside  which  she 
had  placed  a  stool  for  me. 

"That  is  right,  Xarif,"  I  said,  seating  myself;  "but 
where  wilt  thou  sit — here  at  my  side  or  opposite  ? " 

Her  face  was  covered  with  a  flaming  blush.  I  enjoyed 
her  confusion,  for  I  did  not  then  realize  what  it  meant  to 
her,  with  her  Moorish  training,  to  be  asked  to  sit  at  meat 
with  a  man.  Not  that  the  Moors  are  as  strict  in  such 
matters  as  other  Mahometans  ;  but  it  is  seldom  that  the 
Moorish  woman  enjoys  the  same  privileges,  even  in  her 
own  house,  as  we  accord  to  women  in  Christian  lands  ; 
which  is  one  thing  in  which  we  can  honestly  claim  to  be 
superior  to  the  Infidels. 

"If  it  please  thee,  Master,  I  will  stand  and  serve,"  she 
answered,  still  with  downcast  look. 

"But  it  does  not  please  me.  Soldiers  are  comrades, 
and  thou  art  a  soldier  now — by  my  faith,  a  very  pretty 
soldier,  too." 

Before  I  could  prevent  she  had  fallen  on  her  knees  and 
was  clasping  my  feet. 

"Master!"  she  cried,  tearfully,  "thou  knowest  I  am 
thy  kinswoman,  Xarifa — not  Xarif.  My  father  bound  me 
with  an  oath,  as  soon  as  I  should  deem  it  safe  to  do  so, 
to  reveal  this  to  thee,  and  confess  for  him  that  he  did 
deceive  thee,  or  rather  permit  thee  to  deceive  thyself, 
for  he  said  not  that  I  was  his  son,  but  thou.  Yet 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA.  163 

Abrahen  Zenete  utters  not  falsehood  even  by  the  mouth 
of  another  without  shame,  and  only  that  I  was  not  his 
son  and  he  would  save  me  from  the  worst,  did  he  consent 
that  thou  shouldst  be  beguiled.  I  know  that  thou  wilt  be 
kind  to  me.  because  I  am  of  thy  kindred,  and  I  can  trust 
thee,  for  truth  is  written  on  thy  face." 

I  was  much  affected  by  her  simple  words.  Taking-  her 
by  the  hand  I  lifted  her  up  and  said  : 

"Thou  art  right,  Xarifa.  God  deal  with  me  as  I  deal 
with  thee  !  What  wouldst  thou  I  should  do  for  thee  ?  " 

"Let  me  serve  as  thy  page,  as  my  father  did  engage 
that  I  should." 

"But,  but— 

"Didst  thou  not  say  I  was  a  fair  soldier?  "  she  asked 
with  arch  significance. 

"Aye,  indeed — too  fair  !  " 

"Do  not  think  I  lack  skill,  I  pray  thee.  This  is  not 
the  first  time  I  have  worn  these  things," — touching  mail 
and  dagger.  "Twice  have  I  ridden  with  my  father  on  a 
foray  and  once  saved  his  life.  I  can  care  for  thy  horses, 
master — they  will  know  and  obey  me — and  keep  thy 
armor  bright ;  I  can  handle  a  spear  and  a  sword,  if  need 
be,  but  not  so  well  as  a  javelin." 

"But  we  fight  against  thy  people — thy  kindred  !  " 

"I  have  no  kindred  save  my  father — and  thee.  Fear 
not ;  I  will  serve  thee  faithfully,  for  I  vowed  unto  my 
father  to  make  thy  cause  my  cause  ;  thy  religion  my  relig 
ion,  and  thy  interest  my  interest." 

"But  thou  art  a  woman,"  I  stammered,  in  some  con 
fusion. 

"Thy  kinswoman,"  she  answered,  simply,  with  a 
glance  so  direct  and  trustful  that  I  could  but  blush  at  my 
own  thought. 

"Shall  I  not  take  thee  to  Seville  or  Cordova ?  " 

' '  Wherever  thou  goest. " 

"  But  to  stay,  I  mean  ?     Ought  I  not  to  take  thee  there 


104  OUT  °F  THE  SUNSET  SKA. 

to  dwell  with  some  one  who  will  care  for  thee — some 
woman,  Xarifa  ?  " 

"  My  father  enjoined  that  I  should  serve  and  obey  thee. 
He  has  told  me  that  the  Christians  treat  their  women 
better  than  the  Mussulmans  on  earth,  and  permit  them  to 
go  with  them  to  Paradise  when  they  die.  Especially,  he 
said,  and  so  did  my  mother,  God  rest  her  soul,"  she 
crossed  herself  with  a  shy  awkwardness  as  she  spoke, — 
"she  too  said  that  the  Englishmen  so  love  and  honor 
their  kinswomen  that  they  allow  them  to  share  their  sports 
and  do  not  think  of  shutting  them  up  at  home  or  offering 
them  any  wrong." 

It  was  now  my  turn  to  blush  and  cast  down  my  eyes. 

"  But  they  do  not  take  them  to  war,"  I  said. 

"But  I  know  no  other  kin  ;  I  should  die  of  loneliness 
if  I  had  not  some  one  I  knew." 

She  pouted  prettily  and  I  laughed  ;  whereat  she  became 
radiant. 

"And  you  have  known  me — how  long?  "  I  asked. 

"Ever  since  I  heard  thee  say  'Xarif,'  and  you  brought 
me  here  and  gave  me  food,"  she  answered  with  tears  in 
her  eyes. 

Her  innocent  trustfulness  annoyed  me. 

"But  thou  must  have  another  name — that  which  thou 
hast  will  betray  thee." 

"Let  it  be  thine,"  she  answered,  simply. 

"But  thy  given  name,  Xarifa?" 

"So  was  I  christened  in  the  Cathedral  at  Seville — Carita, 
that  is  Xarifa — Felipe  de  Zenete,  the  good  Dona  Juana  de 
la  Torre  being  my  godmother." 

"Let  us  take  the  second  name — Felipe,  is  a  man's 
name  as  well,  and  a  common  one." 

"He  is  my  patron  saint." 

"And  mine,"  I  said.  "Thou  wilt  hear  it  if  there  be 
fighting.  'God  and  St.  Philip'  is  the  watchword  of  my 
company." 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 


165 


"God  grant  I  bring  it  victory,"  she  said,  her  face  light 
ing  with  the  thought.  So  inbred  is  the  love  of  battle  with 
a  soldier's  offspring. 

"It  is  strange  thou  shouldst  be  so  good  a  Christian," 
I  said  in  surprise. 

She  thrust  her  hand  into  the  close  neck  of  her  doublet 
and  drew  forth  a  silver  crucifix,  hung  on  a  rosary  of  ebon 
beads. 

"It  is  well,"  I  said,  saluting  the  holy  figure,  "let  it  fall 
without  thy  doublet ;  it  may  serve 
thee  in  time  of  need.     But  what 
other  name  wilt  thou  have  ?  " 

"Why  not  thine?" 

"And  be  my  brother — Felipe 
del  Porro  ?  Nay,  I  like  not  that. 
It  is  but  a  borrowed  name,  at 
best.  Thou  shalt  be  my  cousin, 
as  indeed  thou  art,  and  wear 
thy  true  name,  if  need  there  be 
for  any. " 

"That  would  please  me,"  she 
answered  simply,  repeating  the 
name. 

"  Well,  Felipe,  so  we  will  let  it 
be  for  to-day,  at  least.  If  need 
come  to  change  it  we  will,  for 
names  be  changed  as  easily  in 
Spain  as  clothes,  I  think." 

I  drew  her  to  me  with  a  laugh,  and  kissed  her  lips.  It 
was  not  exactly  a  brotherly  kiss  but  that  which  I  received 
was  as  pure  as  the  dew  of  Paradise. 

"Let  us  eat,"  she  said,  gayly,  throwing  herself  on  the 
rug  at  my  feet  and  holding  up  her  hands  to  be  filled. 
Her  long  fasting  showed  in  the  quiet  eagerness  with 
which  she  ate  ;  but  when  I  offered  her  wine  she  drew 
back  and  shook  her  head. 


1 60  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

"  If  it  please  thee,  Master, "  she  said,  pitifully. 

"Not  'Master,'"  I  said.  "Am  I  not  thy  cousin?  Thou 
wilt  be  thought  a  Moslem  if  you  drink  not  wine." 

"  I  would  thy  Prophet  had  been  as  wise  as  my  father's. 
Wouldst  thou  require  a  young  brother — as  young  as  I — to 
drink  wine  when  in  health  ?  " 

"That  would  I  not,"  I  answered  promptly,  "  and  v. ould 
thrash  the  rascal  soundly  if  I  caught  him  doing  so. " 

"Thrash?"  she  repeated.  "That  means  beat,  does  it 
not  ?  Would  you  beat — me  ?  " 

She  caught  the  hand  that  held  the  goblet,  swallowed  a 
sip,  and  then  looked  archly  up  into  my  face. 

Before  I  could  reply  there  came  an  alarm,  and  we 
heard  the  shrill  cry  of  the  muezzin  from  the  tower  of  the 
citadel,  which  was  echoed  from  point  to  point  along  the 
walls.  Xarifa  sprang  to  her  feet  and  listened. 

"Quick!  Quick!"  she  cried,  handing  me  my  helmet. 
"It  is  the  holy  war.  They  have  taken  the  Prophet's 
standard  from  the  tower  of  Gibralfaro  !  " 

"Call  Pedrario  !  "  I  exclaimed. 

"  For  what,  Master  ?  " 

"  To  buckle  on  my  armor." 

"That  is  thy  page's  duty.     See,  do  I  not  do  it  well  ?  " 

And  I  must  own  I  never  had  been  so  quickly  or  so 
neatly  helmed  and  cased  before.  Ere  the  lazy  Pedrario 
arrived,  I  was  a  mass  of  steel  from  finger  tip  to  sole. 

"Take  care  of  my  cousin,"  I  said  to  Pedrario,  whose 
eyes  and  ears  were  both  turned  toward  the  city  whose 
walls  suddenly  swarmed  with  shrieking  thousands,  while 
his  legs  seemed  longing  to  carry  him  away  from  it. 

"  I  will  take  care  of  myself,"  I  heard  her  say,  reproach 
fully,  as  I  hurried  to  my  post. 

I  was  none  too  soon  in  marshaling  my  men.  The 
enemy's  bombards  and  other  engines  on  the  wall  had 
opened  on  our  works,  and  before  they  had  reached  their 
stations  the  air  was  full  of  stones  and  bolts  and  every  form 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA.  167 

of  noxious  missile,  while  surging  out  of  the  city's  gate 
came  a  great  host  of  dusky-faced  devils  with  white  turbans, 
shrieking  their  unholy  battle-cry,  while  before  them  danced 
a  black  Nigromancer  bearing  the  Holy  Banner  made  of 
the  three  spotless  tails  of  the  Prophet's  mares,  and  shout 
ing  prayers  and  incantations  horrible  enough  to  chill  the 
blood  of  any  Christian. 

The  tide  of  frantic  infidels  struck  the  line  of  works  a 
little  to  our  left,  and  swept  away  its  defenders  as  if  they 
had  been  chaff.  Fortunately,  I  had  connected  our  salient 
with  a  line  in  the  rear,  which  had  once  been  our  front,  so 
that  we  were  nearly  as  well  defended  on  one  side  as  the 
other.  Throwing  myself  with  a  few  of  my  best  men  into 
the  gate,  the  others  scattered  along  the  parapet  and  thrust 
back  the  enemy  who,  clambering  upon  each  other's  backs, 
sought  to  mount  the  wall.  All  was  in  confusion  ;  blowrs 
resounded;  bombards  roared;  the  air  was  full  of  dust. 
"Allah  Ackbar  !  "  shouted  the  turbaned  host.  "  God  and 
St.  Philip  !  "  my  fellows  responded.  The  odds  were  ter 
rible.  We  could  hold  the  gate  as  long  as  our  strength 
remained,  and  very  soon  a  barrier  of  dead  Mussulmans 
was  heaped  up  before  us.  But  he  who  fights  in  armor 
under  the  sun  of  Spain  in  July,  hath  need  of  muscles  and 
nerves  of  steel.  The  sweat  ran  down  our  bodies  like  rain 
until  it  spurted  out  of  the  boots  that  cased  our  greaves,  at 
every  step.  It  blinded  our  eyes  and  trickled  down  our 
beards,  but  we  had  the  wall  at  our  backs  and  still  fought 
on. 

More  than  once  the  heathen  made  a  lodgment  on  the 
parapet,  but  my  men  rallied  anddrove  them  off.  By  and 
by,  the  wiz.ird  with  the  Holy  Banner  came  and  placed 
himself  before  the  baffled  host  for  another  onset  on  the 
gate.  He  was  naked  save  for  a  white  cloth  about  his 
loins,  and  his  black  skin  glistened  in  the  sun  while  he  ran 
back  and  forth  in  front  of  the  heathen  host  amid  a  storm 
of  bolts  and  arrows  which  made  the  air  seem  thick  ;  but 


168  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

none  touched  him.  When  this  giant  santon,  who  was 
believed  to  be  invulnerable,  came  himself  to  lead  the 
assault  on  our  position,  I  felt  that  our  only  hope  lay  in 
his  death,  if  indeed,  mortal  weapon  might  overcome  his 
enchantments.  So,  I  determined  to  rush  out  upon  him 
before  his  followers  could  come  to  close  quarters  with  my 
men.  I  waited  until  he  was  not  more  than  ten  steps 
away,  his  eyes  gleaming  like  fire,  his  lips  foaming,  and  the 
impious  words  in  which  he  proclaimed  himself  invincible, 
ringing  out  on  the  hot,  pulsing  air.  Behind  him  was  a 
solid  wall  of  frantic  believers.  Mustering  all  my  strength, 
I  poised  my  sword  as  if  it  had  been  a  lance,  determined 
to  make  trial  of  his  enchantment,  knowing  that  if  I  did 
not  kill  him  we  must  soon  yield  from  sheer  exhaustion. 
Before  I  could  move,  however,  a  light  javelin  shot  out 
from  under  my  right  arm,  struck  the  Nubian  Nigromancer 
square  upon  the  naked  left  breast,  and  sunk  into  the  glow 
ing  black  skin  as  if  it  had  been  only  so  much  shining  peat. 
He  sprang  up  with  a  terrible  shout,  tossing  over  his  head 
upon  the  turbans  of  his  frenzied  followers  the  Holy  Ban 
ner,  and  fell  dead  hardly  a  spear's-length  from  where  we 
stood.  His  followers  wavered,  and  just  then,  new  forces 
coming  up  from  the  rear,  they  broke  and  fled. 

Before  the  hour  for  the  noonday  rest  had  come  it  was 
all  over.  The  leaguered  city  was  full  of  wailing  ;  our 
camp,  despite  the  many  dead,  was  a  scene  of  exultation. 
Masses  for  the  dead  and  Te  Deums  for  the  victory  were 
being  said  at  once  by  the  priests  who  attended  the  army. 
As  for  me,  I  was  lying  on  the  couch  in  my  tent  which  the 
enemy  had  not  time  to  pillage,  unhelmed  and  panting 
with  exhaustion,  while  my  new  page  pressed  on  me,  by 
turns,  the  wine  she  had  refused,  and  the  potage  Pedrario 
had  left  stewing  on  the  pit  when  he  took  to  his  heels.  A 
King's  officer,  accompanied  by  a  notary  and  two  of  those 
black  fellows,  who  are  the  spies  of  the  King  as  well  as 
the  agents  of  the  Inquisition,  came  to  take  my  report  of 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 


169 


the  fight,  especially  as  to  the  killing  of  the  Nigromancer. 
I  could  tell  them  nothing  they  did  not  know,  for  they  who 
stood  with  me  and  others  on  the  wall  had  already  told 
enough.  It  appeared  from  their  story  that  St.  Philip, 
clothed  in  a  green  and  red  doublet,  with  a  crown  of  gold 
upon  his  head,  had  come  down  from  heaven  and  transfixed 
the  blaspheming  heathen  with  a  heavenly  dart,  on  which 
was  traced  in  golden  letters,  a  device  against  which  the 
wizard's  spells  were  powerless. 


I  know  not  what  answer  I  might  have  made  in  my 
confusion,  but  just  then  the  page  stumbled  against  the 
table  at  which  the  notary  wrote,  who  cursed  him  for  an 
awkward  lout,  and  I  saw  him  making  haste  to  hide  his 
doublet  which  was  so  like  the  costume  of  the  rescuing 
saint.  Whereat,  the  truth  flashed  upon  me,  and  to  save 
my  soul,  I  could  not  help  but  laugh,  and  my  page  laughed 
also.  Thereupon,  the  miracle-hunters  grew  wroth  and 
one  of  them  declared  that  if  I  was  struck  with  such  blind 
ness  as  not  to  see  the  blessed  Saint  when  he  appeared 


I ;o  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

expressly  to  perform  such  a  notable  miracle  and  show 
himself  to  so  many,  it  was  evident  that  he  must  have  but 
an  ill  opinion  of  the  officer  in  command  of  my  redoubt. 

To  which  I  foolishly  replied  that  it  showed  little  dis 
crimination  on  his  part  if  it  were  so,  since  he  was  both  my 
own  and  my  young  cousin's  patron  saint. 

This  answer  still  farther  angered  the  Familiars,  showing, 
as  one  of  them  declared,  a  levity  which  amounted  to 
nothing  less  than  disbelief  in  the  miracles  of  the  Holy 
Church.  I  cared  too  little  for  their  ill-will,  now  that  I  had 
become  a  Captain,  to  think  in  the  hour  of  so  noteible  a 
triumph,  how  necessary  it  was  to  remove  it. 

"What  be  thy  page's  name?"  asked  the  notary  who 
had  been  writing  down  what  was  said. 

"  Felipe,"  I  answered,  — "  a  young  cousin  who  is  come 
to  learn  chivalry  and  the  art  of  war  with  me,  in  the  service 
of  our  sovereign  Lord  and  Lady  of  Castile  and  Aragon. " 

"Saw  you  aught  of  the  holy  St.  Philip,  when  he  flung 
his  dart,  sirrah  ?  " 

"Troth,  I  did  not,"  answered  the  page,  meekly,  "but 
the  good  St.  Philip  would  never  pass  by  one  who  loves 
him  so  well  as  I,  and  I  have  here  the  very  fellow  of  the 
dart  with  which  the  Nigromancer  was  slain.  There  were 
twain,  but  one  I  threw  against  the  Moslem  hosts  from 
the  parapet  at  the  very  moment  the  false  Prophet  fell. 
The  other  I  shall  keep  until  it  please  God  and  good  St. 
Philip  to  show  me  how  it  shall  be  used." 

This  simple  declaration  seemed  both  to  astound  and 
anger  the  Inquisitors. 

"  Give  it  me,"  said  the  officer. 

"Craving  pardon,"  I  interposed,  "if  St.  Philip  had  in 
tended  thee  to  have  it,  he  would  undoubtedly  have  given 
it  into  thy  hand.  I  know  not  how  my  page  obtained  it, 
but  he  is  right  in  holding  fast  so  precious  a  relic." 

Whereon  they  went  away,  not  fully  satisfied,  and  I  had 
an  uneasy  feeling  that  I  had  made  an  enemy. 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 


171 


"  What  is  it  about  this  dart,  and  how  came  thee.to  have 
it  ?  "  I  asked  cautiously,  when  they  had  departed. 

"  It  is  one  of  the  javelins  the  Nigromancer  himself  had 
charmed,"  she  answered,  "which  I  brought  with  me. 
The  inscription  on  it  is  a  verse  of  the  Koran." 

She  looked  up  at  me  with  a  smile. 

"Nevertheless,"  I  said,  solemnly,  "St.  Philip  did  in 
deed  deliver  the  army  with  a  notable  miracle." 

She  blushed  and  let  her  lids  fall  over  eyes  full  of  too 
glad  a  light. 


Two  things  troubled  me.  One  was  what  to  do  with  my 
kinswoman,  whose  trustful  innocence  bound  me  to  the 
most  scrupulous  regard,  while  her  ready  acceptance  of  a 
page's  place  and  performance  of  a  squire's  duty  made  it  im 
possible  to  treat  her  with  that  deference  I  desired  to  mani 
fest  toward  her.  She  was  an  adept  in  all  the  light  exer 
cises  of  the  Moors,  and  had  that  familiarity  with  military 
life  which  comes  only  by  experience  in  the  camp.  As 
she  had  predicted,  she  soon  made  my  horses  her  willing 
subjects,  and  was  never  tired  of  fondling  and  caring  for 
them.  Yet  day  by  day  I  could  see  that  she  was  grow 
ing  less  and  less  content.  There  were  tears  she  strove 
to  hide,  and  in  the  corner  of  the  tent  which  she  had  cur 
tained  off  for  herself  I  heard  her  prayers  in  the  night-time 
choked  with  sobs.  Not  seldom,  too,  she  would  throw 
down  her  food  before  it  touched  her  lips,  and  with  a 
wailing  cry  rush  from  an  untasted  meal  to  scan  the 
hungry  groups  on  the  city-wall  as  they  gazed  in  agony  at 
the  viands  spread  out  upon  our  works  to  tempt  and  tor 
ture  them.  I  did  not  wonder.  Her  heart  was  in  the  city 
with  her  famished  father.  But  what  could  I  do  ?  I,  a 
mere  mercenary  in  the  ranks  of  a  foreign  prince — the  dis 
inherited  son  of  an  unrelenting  father  ? 
172 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 


'73 


Another  thing  that  gave  me  anxiety,  was  the  changed 
demeanor  of  the  officers  with  whom  I  had  been  wont  to 
associate.  These  grew  suddenly  cool  and  distant,  after 
the  day  of  the  sortie.  Even  my  own  subordinates  seemed 
to  regard  me  with  suspicion.  I  was  at  a  loss  to  under 
stand  what  it  meant,  so  unfamiliar  was  I  with  the  Spanish 
nature,  which  is  to  a  remarkable  degree,  prone  to  super 
stition  and  jealousy.  My  success  in  resisting  the  on 
slaught  of  the  Moors  might  have  been  endured,  for  they 
honor  courage  despite 
their  envy  ;  but  the 
levity  I  was  said  to 
have  manifested  in 
regard  to  the  miracle 
which  St.  Philip  had 
wrought  was  not  to  be 
passed  over  without 
reprobation.  No  doubt 
the  English  be  as  good 
Christians  as  the  Span 
iards,  but  they  do  not 
make  so  much  display 
of  their  faith,  and  do 
not  keep  prayers  and 

oaths  so  closely  mixed  upon  their  tongues  that  it  is  hard 
to  tell  where  the  one  ends  and  the  other  begins.  I 
was  no  saint,  but  our  Lord  Christ  and  Mary  Mother 
never  had  a  truer-hearted  believer  than  I  was  in 
those  days,  especially  since  Xarifa  had  come  to  my 
tent  ;  for  she  spent  so  much  time  on  her  knees  that  I 
was  shamed  to  greater  faithfulness,  besides  need 
ing  more  grace  to  keep  me  from  temptation  and  dis 
honor.  I  did  not  doubt  that  St.  Philip  had  done  a  miracle 
for  our  salvation.  If  he  had  not,  we  should  have  been 
overcome,  and  on  my  soul  I  believe  the  siege  would  have 
been  raised  ;  but  the  miracle  he  really  performed  was  not 


1 74  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

of  the  kind  the  marvel-mongers  desired.  So,  though  I 
prayed  earnestly  every  day  before  the  cross  erected  on 
the  spot  where  the  Nigromancer  fell,  I  found  the  feeling 
grew  daily  against  me,  because  I  could  not  talk  about  the 
wonder  of  which  others  were  full. 

It  was  with  a  certain  sense  of  relief,  therefore,  that  a 
week  after  the  sortie  I  received  a  summons  from  my  pa 
tron,  and  mounting  the  barb  he  had  given  me  I  was  soon 
at  the  door  of  his  tent.  My  page  had  followed  me,  though 
I  gave  no  order  to  that  effect,  and,  when  I  entered 
the  Duke's  marquee,  remained  a  dozen  paces  off  fondling 
the  muzzles  of  the  two  fiery  steeds  we  had  ridden,  as  if 
she  had  had  the  care  of  them  since  they  were  foals. 

"Your  squire  knows  a  horse,  muyo  Capitan,"  said  the 
Duke,  catching  sight  of  the  group,  through  the  opening  of 
his  tent.  "My  faith,  he  is  a  comely  lad  !  Whence  is 
he  ? " 

"A  relative  from  Biscaya,  your  Excellency,  who  came 
to  serve  with  me  against  the  Moors. " 

"  He  seems  full  young  for  that.  Is  he  one  of  those  old 
Zenete  slapped  with  the  flat  of  his  sword  the  other  day, 
bidding  them  go  home,  and  tell  their  mothers  he  sent 
them  to  be  trounced  ?  By  my  faith  !  "  he  continued 
laughing,  "  it  must  haA'e  hurt  the  youngsters  worse  than  if 
he  had  used  the  edge.  Who  would  have  thought  a  Moor 
had  such  wit?  Saint  lago  !  if  he  ever  falls  into  my  hands 
he  shall  have  Christian  treatment  an'  I  have  to  fight  all  the 
churchmen  in  Spain  to  save  him.  But  that  will  not  be 
needful,  for  her  Majesty,  who  hath  a  knight's  heart  in  her 
woman's  bosom,  hath  given  order  that  Abrahen  Zenete 
and  all  his  kith  and  kin,  goods  and  chattels,  be  spared  in 
the  city's  sack  because  of  his  knightly  act,  and  any  caitiff 
that  offers  harm  to  either  shall  be  hung  as  high  as  Haman 
— was  it  Haman  or  the  other  one  ?  You  ought  to  be 
churchman  enough  to  know." 

I  think  only  some  such  allusion  to  the  life  I  dreaded 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA.  175 

could  have  saved  me  from  betraying  my  joy  at  his  pre 
vious  words.  As  it  was,  I  was  able  to  bear  what  followed 
with  complaisance  because  of  it. 

"  What  is  this  you  have  done  to  set  the  Fathers  of  the 
Holy  Office  against  my  Captain  ?  "  he  asked  anxiously. 

"  What  mean  you,  my  lord  Duke  ?  " 

"  Know  you  not  that  there  is  talk  of  sending  my  banner 
to  the  rear  because  of  thee  ?"  he  asked.  "My  faith,  I 
think  the  true  reason  is  that  it  flaps  uncomfortably  plain 
in  the  eyes  of  the  Marquis  de  Alcantara,  and  hath  been 
advanced  too  far  to  please  the  Master  of  Santiago.  They 
like  not  to  see  the  banner  of  the  only  noble  in  Castile  who 
was  not  summoned  to  the  war  by  their  Majesties,  but  who 
came  of  his  own  accord,  and  hath  brought  his  own  army, 
greater  than  any  other  subject  can  muster  and  which 
servcth  under  his  own  command,  so  much  nearer  the 
walls  than  any  other  hath  been  pushed.  But  they  charge 
that  thou  art  sacrilegious  ;  that  thou  makest  mock  of  the 
miracles  of  the  Church  and  holdest  secret  commerce  with 
the  Moor.  What  mean  they  by  these  things  ?  Thou  hast 
been  a  good  soldier,  but  thou  art  a  stranger,  and  the  Duke 
of  Medina-Sidonia  hath  too  many  enemies  at  court  to  per 
mit  one  of  his  Captains  to  be  impeached." 

I  told  him  of  the  incident  of  the  Nigromancer,  and  that 
the  dart  which  slew  him  had  been  thrown  by  my  attend 
ant. 

"God's  death!"  he  exclaimed  angrily,  "thou  art  as 
pretty  a  fool  as  ever  stood  in  his  own  sunshine  !  Saw- 
est  thou  not  that  the  Holy  Fathers  were  bent  upon  having 
a  miracle  ?  What  mattered  it  to  thee  who  killed  the  cursed 
santon  ?  Thou  hadst  only  to  drop  on  thy  knees,  roll 
up  thine  eyes  an'  thou  wouldcst  have  been  the  best  fellow, 
in  the  camp,  and  the  Holy  Office  had  been  thy  fast  friend 
ever  after.  Thou  hadst  been  haled  before  the  King  ere 
this  and  a  pair  of  gold  spurs  put  on  thy  heels,  too.  In 
deed,  until  Torquemada  got  the  King's  ear,  that  was 


176  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

the  intendment  ;  and,  moreover,  the  niece  of  my  Lord  the 
Archbishop,  did  importune  the  Queen  that  she  might 
buckle  them  on  :  whereat  the  Archbishop  was  wroth, 
claiming  that  it  was  unseemly  for  one  so  recently  wed  to 
show  such  favor  to  a  man  who  openly  made  love  to  her 
as  thou  didst  on  the  march  hither.  And  withal  I  am  to 
bear  the  blame  for  thy  folly  !  1-y  God  and  His  Saints  ! 
I  had  rather  lost  a  million  maravedis  than  that  thou  hadst 
lost  thy  head  at  such  a  time  !  But  how  about  the  Moor  ? 
Thou  knowest  that  since  the  attempt  on  her  Majesty's  life 
the  orders  are  very  strict  and  there  is  small  hope  of  pardon 
for  one  who  speaketh  with  them  in  secret  or  admitteth  one 
within  the  lines." 

"  I  chanced  once  upon  Abrahen  Zenete,  what  time  the 
simoom  overpowered  my  men  and  I  kept  watch  and  ward 
alone,  and  we  did  exchange  some  words,  but  none  touch 
ing  the  siege  or  the  armament  within  the  city,  and  none 
but  baptized  believers  hath  passed  the  guard  with  my 
knowledge  ;  nor  have  I  known  of  any  such  attempt." 

"And  thou  art  willing  to  swear  to  this  ?"  he  asked, 
suspiciously. 

I  drew  forth  my  sword  and,  falling  upon  one  knee, 
kissed  the  cross  upon  the  hilt  and  began  : 

"  In  nomine  Jesu  Christu  et " 

"That  will  do  !  That  will  do  !  Heavens  !  Dost  thou 
think  I  want  to  hear  thee  mumble  Latin  like  a  priest  ?  I 
believe,  but  I  fear  no  one  else  will.  He  that  denieth  with 
an  'if  getteth  credit  only  with  a  'but.'  Where  got  you 
that  blade  ?  "  He  took  it  from  me  by  the  hilt  and  scanned 
it  slowly.  "I  have  heard  of  that  sword  before.  How 
comes  it  that  you  have  so  rare  a  blade  and  wear  not  the 
one  his  Grace  of  Toledo  did  present  you  ? " 

"This  was  my  father's  gift." 

"Thy  father  is  then  a  person  of  consequence?" 

I  was  silent. 

"Speak!     Why  dost  thou  not  answer?" 


0 UT  OF  TfJE  StJNSE  T  SEA .  177 

"I  serve  here  without  his  leave,  and  choose  not  to  use 
his  name." 

"Thy  name  is  not  del  Porro,  then  ?  " 

I  did  not  answer. 

"  Very  well ;  it  is  thine  own  affair.  I  am  thy  debtor, 
whatever  thy  name ;  but  the  Duke  of  Medina-Sidonia 
standeth  on  too  slippery  ground  at  court  to  be  known  as 
the  patron  of  one  who  trusteth  him  not  with  his  patro 
nymic.  At  the  same  time,  if  thou  wilt  take  my  advice,  thou 
wilt  find  another  than  that  thou  hast,  an'  that  soon. 
Torquemada  hath  a  long  memory,  and  no  man  can  stand 
in  Spain  on  whom  he  looks  with  disfavor." 

' '  1  am  then  discharged  from  your  service  ?  "  I  said, 
astounded  at  the  suddenness  of  my  fall. 

"Let  it  be  so,"  he  answered.  "The  Duke  of  Medina- 
Sidonia  is  debit  in  thine  accompt  for  succor  at  sorest  need  ; 
but  it  were  well  for  us  both  that  thou  shouldst  quit  his 
service,  and  if  thou  remainest  in  the  realm  let  it  be  under 
another  name.  I  will  speak  to  Gonsalvo  de  Cordova 
in  thy  behalf.  He  knoweth  thee  and  thy  merit,  and 
standeth  too  near  the  throne  to  fall  under  suspicion.  At 
present  thou  wilt  return  to  Seville  with  a  company  of 
mine  wrhich  goes  as  escort  to  many  persons  of  rank,  but 
especially  a  monk  from  the  convent  of  San  Juan  de  los 
Reyes,  who  came  hither  by  special  command  of  our  Sov 
ereign  Lady  of  Castile  and  return eth  of  his  own  motion, 
as  I  believe.  It  might  be  well  to  make  him  thy  friend, 
for  if  I  mistake  not  her  Majesty  will  have  farther  need 
of  him.  Thou  wilt  command  the  escort  and  in  such 
duty  will  accommodate  thyself  wholly  to  his  wishes." 

"And  after  that  ?  "  I  asked,  as  he  paused. 

I  suppose  I  ought  to  have  been  cast  down  by  what  1 
had  heard,  but  I  was  not.  It  seemed  to  me  as  if  some 
saint  had  intervened  for  sweet  Xarifa's  sake.  What  was 
I  that  my  advancement  should  stand  in  the  way  of  her 
happiness  ? 

12 


1-jS  OUT  OF  TltE  SUNSET  SEA. 

"  How  much  am  1  in  arrear  to  thee?  " 

"If  anything,  I  know  not:  I  have  never  served  for 
hire." 

"Thou  art  proud  enough  to  have  been  a  Spaniard," 
he  answered  with  a  smile.  "Well,  I  like  thee  none  the 
worse.  Write  for  me  the  name  thou  wilt  wear  when 
thou  hast  quit  my  service." 

He  pointed  to  a  table  on  which  were  writing  materials. 
I  sat  down  and  wrote,  "Tallerte  de  Lajes, ''  and  handed 
the  scroll  to  him. 

"It  becomes  thee  better  than  the  other,"  he  said, 
' ;  though  it  be  a  pity  to  lose  so  stout  a  soldier  as  Del  Porro. 
I  will  see  that  thou  art  not  forgotten.  If  thou  wilt  call 
upon  the  Sacristan  of  San  Marco  on  the  first  day  of  each 
month  thou  wilt  learn  of  anything  that  may  be  to  thy 
advantage.  In  the  mean  time,  while  in  Seville,  show 
thyself  in  public  as  little  as  may  be.  Thou  wilt  have 
need  of  money ;  let  me  supply  it.  My  almoner  will 
accompany  the  train  and  furnish  whatever  may  be  needful 
for  the  escort.  My  secretary  will  bring  thee  written 
orders." 

He  handed  me  a  purse,  and  with  "Santa  Maria  and 
Saint  lago,  speed  thee !  "  bowed  me  out. 

An  hour  later  I  had  bidden  adieu  to  those  who  had 
served  with  me  and  not  without  a  feeling  of  bitterness, 
was  ready  with  tent  and  equipments  packed,  to  turn 
my  back  upon  the  dreams  my  unexpected  success 
had  inspired.  The  news  concerning  Abrahen  Zenete. 
had  made  my  page  more  blithesome  than  I  had  ever  seen 
him  before,  and  this  brought  consolation  for  my  own  ill- 
fortune.  When  the  officer  to  whom  I  was  to  resign  my 
command  arrived,  I  found  it  was  none  other  than  that  De 
Ullana,  who  had  married  the  Dona  Guadita  Mendoza. 
When  the  transfer  had  been  concluded,  he  took  me  aside 
and  said  : 

"You  are  no  doubt  surprised,  as  I  am,  Senor  Capitan, 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA.  179 

at  this  exchange  of  duties.  Until  last  night  I  had  sup 
posed  that  I  was  to  escort  the  caravan  to  the  command 
of  which  you  are  assigned.  With  it  goes  my  wife,  the 
Dona  Guadita  de  Ullana.  I  am  not  unmindful  of  the 
great  service  you  rendered  her,  nor  of  the  tender  senti 
ments  you  expressed  for  her,  but  I  have  no  fear  for  my 
honor  with  such  a  wife  and  such  a  cavalier  as  El  Capitan 
Artis  del  Porro." 

I  bowed  my  acknowledgment. 

"  I  only  desire,"  he  continued,  "  to  notify  you  of  the 
profound  esteem  in  which  you  are  held  both  by  myself 
and  the  Dona  Guadita,  and  to  assure  you  that  certain 
revelations  you  may  have  made  to  her  when  the  fever  of 
your  hurt  was  upon  you  are  quite  safe  in  her  confidence. 
At  the  same  time,  being  aware  of  the  hostility  which  has 
arisen  in  certain  quarters  against  you,  it  has  seemed  to 
us  possible  that  this  change  of  duties  has  been  made  with 
the  purpose  of  exposing  you  to  danger  through  your 
supposed  weakness  for  her.  There  is  no  doubt  that  one 
or  two  Familiars  of  the  Holy  Office  will  travel  with  you  ; 
in  what  guise  I  know  not,  but  we  fear  their  purpose  is  to 
spy  upon  your  actions.  The  Lady  Guadita,  therefore, 
begs  that  you  will  be  very  cautious  lest  in  any  manner  you 
expose  yourself  to  unfriendly  report.  She  suggests  also, 
that  you  may  find  it  profitable  to  journey  much  of  the  time 
in  company  with  the  holy  monk,  Francisco  Ximenes,  who 
is  likely  some  time  to  be  the  Queen's  Confessor.  And  this 
we  counsel,  because  of  our  profound  esteem  and  earnest 
good  will  for  a  soldier  who  seems  beset  with  secret 
enemies." 

I  thanked  him  most  earnestly  for  his  friendship  and 
assured  him  that  his  counsel  would  be  observed.  I  could 
not  understand,  however,  these  repeated  warnings 
against  hidden  danger  which  came  to  me  from  various 
sources.  But  for  Xarifa,  I  thought,  I  would  have  stood 
my  ground  and  defied  my  enemies  to  do  their  worst. 


180  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

But  who  were  my  enemies,  and  why  were  they  such  ? 
Why  should  the  Holy  Office  seek  to  destroy  me  ?  I  shud 
dered  as  I  thought  how  relentless  were  its  decrees,  and 
what  agencies  it  had  for  their  enforcement. 

As  we  rode  back  through  the  lines  of  the  investing  army 
on  our  way  to  the  point  whence  the  train  was  to  start,  I 
could  but  regret  that  the  triumph  which  was  now  assured 
by  the  growing  weakness  of  the  besieged,  would  bring  me 
no  honor  as  the  reward  of  my  effort,  and,  when  we  halted 
for  a  moment  on  the  summit  of  the  hill  where  the  great 
cannon  known  as  the  "Seven  Sisters  of  Ximenes  "  were 
planted,  I  could  not  keep  back  my  tears  as  I  saw  the  flag 
above  the  salient  I  had  commanded,  and  realized  that 
when  the  assault  came  I  should  not  be  there  to  plant  it 
first  upon  the  shattered  walls. 

I  looked  around  and  saw  tears  also  in  Xarifa's  eyes,  but 
I  knew  she  wept  for  sorrow  at  the  fate  that  impended 
over  her  native  city  and  for  joy  that  she  would  not 
see  the  woe  of  its  destruction.  Below,  the  plain  was  full 
of  tents  and  armed  battalions,  horses  and  caravans  with 
supplies,  of  shops  and  forges,  while  the  dull  roar  of  artil 
lery  came  at  intervals  through  the  noontide  heat  and 
dust.  Beyond  was  the  sea  and  the  clustering  masts  of  the 
investing  fleet.  It  was  a  picture  that  can  never  fade — 
the  theater  of  a  young  soldier's  initiation  into  a  military 
life. 

While  we  tarried,  one  mounted  on  a  mule  in  the  garb  of 
a  monk  and  the  bare  feet  of  an  anchorite  rode  up  and 
halted  near.  He  was  a  man  of  middle  age,  slender  and 
tall,  with  a  high  forehead  and  great  dark  eyes  that  lay 
restless  and  keen  beneath  heavy  brows.  His  face  was 
pale  and  his  mouth  showed  unfaltering  decision.  His  lips 
moved  and  his  face  twitched,  as  he  sat  with  the  sun  shin 
ing  on  his  tonsured  head  and  gazed  back  upon  the  belea 
guered  city.  He  fingered  his  beads  as  if  unconsciously, 
and  I  wondered  for  whom  he  prayed.  It  seemed  to  me 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA.  181 

that  the  besieged  were  most  in  need  of  prayer,  but  I 
doubted  if  they  found  place  in  the  monk's  petitions.  At 
length  I  heard  him  say  : 

' '  Why  will  ye  die  !  Why  will  ye  die  ?  Is  the  gate  of 
heaven  to  be  forever  opened  only  with  blood  and  tears  ?  " 

Turning  to  me  after  a  time,  he  said,  with  a  swift  glance 
at  my  mount  and  equipment  : 

"This  is  the  Capitan  del  Porro — or  I  do  mistake  ?  " 

I  could  not  help  showing  some  surprise  as  I  assented. 

"  It  is  not  to  be  wondered  at,"  he  responded  with  a 
smile  of  exceeding  sweetness.  "  I  am  the  Fray  Francisco, 
who  is  to  journey  with  thee.  In  sooth,  it  was  thy  horse 
I  knew,  rather  than  thee.  Whoso  bestrides  a  son  of  the 
Duke  of  Medina-Sidonia's  barb  Achmet,  which  was  pre 
sented  to  him  by  the  king  of  Granada  himself,  must  not 
expect  to  remain  unknown.  It  is  an  honor  few  can 
boast. " 

"It  was  a  present  from  the  Duke,"  I  answered  with 
some  pride. 

"So  have  I  heard;  he  was,  moreover,  the  Duke's  own 
steed,  the  very  choicest  of  Achmet's  sons  !  You  are  for 
tunate.  Yet, "  he  added  with  a  keen  glance,  "you  were 
weeping  that  you  could  not  stay  and  share  the  slaughter." 

I  confessed  his  words  were  true. 

"lean  understand,"  he  said,  musingly,  " — I  can  under 
stand — in  part.  That  is  the  way  God  teaches  submission 
to  soldiers  as  well  as  to  priests." 

Nothing  of  moment  happened  during  our  journey,  which 
fact  the  good  Fray  was  kind  enough  to  attribute  to  my 
vigilance. 

"Because thou  wert  faithful  over  a  few  things,  Capitan," 
he  said,  gayly,  when  we  saw  the  towers  of  Seville  in  the 
distance,  "if  ever  I  have  need  of  an  army,  thou  shalt  com 
mand  it." 

"  And  if  I  ever  part  with  Achmet,"  I  said,  "  he  shall  be 
yours."  For  the  Fray  loved  a  good  steed  despite  the 


182  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

license  his  profession  had,  under  Castilian  law,  to  ride  a 
mule,  which  other  men  were  forbid  to  do. 

"I  pray  thee  tempt  me  not,"  he  replied.  "  An'  such  a 
steed  as  the  Son  of  Achmet  were  at  my  command,  I  fear 
I  might  lack  grace  to  ride  an  ass  !  " 

We  both  laughed,  little  thinking  what  changes  time 
would  bring  about. 

During  the  whole  journey  I  had  scarce  spoken  to  the 
Dona  Guadita  de  Ullana  save  in  formal  greeting.  Now,  I 
rode  to  her  side  and  with  lips  and  eyes  thanked  her  for  her 
consideration,  and  she  in  turn  gave  me  great  praise  for 
my  prudence  and  care,  and  promised  whenever  occasion 
should  serve  to  repay  my  zeal  with  kind  remembrance. 


CHAPTCR-XVT 


HOSE  were  halcyon  days  we 
passed  in  fair  Seville  !  Despite 
all  that  followed,  the  eity  will 
ever  be  hallowed  in  my  memory 
because  of  them.  I  soon  had 
the  little  house  in  order,  and 
was  thankful  even  for  the  fears 
which  had  induced  me  to  secure 
it  as  a  hiding-place.  I  had  no  longer  any  appre 
hension.  When  I  turned  over  my  command  on  ar 
rival,  "Del  Porro "  disappeared.  Now  I  was  plain 
Arturo  Lac,  once  more.  Only  Xarifa  and  the  black  son 
of  Achrnet  knew  of  their  identity.  To  the  Sacristan 
of  San  Marco,  alone,  I  was  known  as  Tallerte  de  Lajcs. 
Through  my  friend  Jacobo,  we  soon  secured  servants  and  a 
companion  for  Xarifa, — the  Dona  Maria  Valerez,  a  worthy 
and  discreet  widow.  Xarifa,  was  no  longer  Xarifa,  for  her 
name  like  herself  had  assumed  the  Spanish  habit,  and 
for  almost  the  first  time  since  it  was  conferred,  she  was 
known  by  her  baptismal  name,  Carita  de  Zenete.  It  had 
a  Moorish  flavor,  but  what  mattered  that?  One-fourth 
the  people  of  Seville  were  Moriscoes,  and  few  of  the 
remainder  were  without  relatives  of  Moorish  blood.  When 
the  Moslems  overran  Spain,  they  married  their  Christian 
captives  instead  of  killing  them,  and  this  was  continued 
even  after  the  strife  was  renewed  for  their  expulsion.  So 
it  resulted  that  many  of  them,  like  Abrahen  Zenete,  had 
more  Christian  than  Moorish  blood  in  their  veins,  and 

183 


184  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

were,  in  fact,  more  closely  allied  to  the  invaders  than  to 
the  people  with  whom  they  fought. 

Xarifa — I  alone  called  her  by  that  name,  and  I  only 
when  there  was  no  one  else  to  hear — was  happy.  Despite 
her  Christian  faith  and  Christian  descent,  there  was  much 
of  the  fatalism  of  Islam  in  her  nature.  She  did  not  sit  under 
the  shadow  of  the  future.  "  What  is  to  be  will  be,  '  saved 
her  many  a  pang.  Relieved  of  fear  that  her  father  would 
be  killed  or  degraded  by  his  captors,  she  gave  little  heed 
to  the  perils  of  battle  he  must  encounter.  For  the  be 
leaguered  city  and  her  father's  people  she  seemed  hardly 
to  care  at  all.  It  was  not  strange.  Her  mother's  faith 
had  doomed  her  to  more  than  ordinary  seclusion,  and  the 
dream  of  her  life  had  been  that  she  might  sometime  return 
to  her  mother's  people.  This  dream  had  been  fulfilled. 
I  was  her  kinsman.  She  was  free  to  go  with  her  compan 
ion  whither  she  would  in  a  Christian  city.  Some  time  we 
would  go  to  our  own  people  in  beautiful,  verdant  England. 
This  was  all  her  thought.  Of  this  she  talked,  of  this  she 
dreamed,  and  for  this  she  prayed.  I  was  to  win  honor 
and  with  that  my  father's  approval  ;  then  we  would  be 
happy.  So  she  waite'd  with  an  impatience  almost  equal  to 
my  own,  for  me  to  take  service  once  more  against  her 
people.  That  my  father  would  receive  me  into  favor  if  I 
returned  with  a  pair  of  gold  spurs,  won  by  my  sword  in 
a  holy  war,  she  was  much  more  confident  than  I,  who 
knew  his  nature  and  the  theory  on  which  his  action  was 
based. 

I  do  not  think  she  thought  of  me  in  any  other  relation 
than  as  a  kinsman.  She  was  young.  The  present  was 
full  of  joy  ;  for  cramped  as  a  Spanish  lady's  life  seems  to 
our  English  notions,  it  was  freedom  itself,  to  one  reared 
as  she  had  been.  As  for  myself,  I  did  not  know  how 
much  I  loved  her.  I  shared  with  her  the  dream  of  a  happy 
return  to  England,  I  with  the  honors  of  a  successful 
soldier,  and  she  to  find  a  welcome  among  wondering 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA.  185 

kindred.  Perhaps  the  Queen  would  even  make  her  a 
Maid  of  Honor  as  my  mother  had  been.  If  I  thought  of 
marriage  with  her  it  was  only  as  a  remote  and  possible  con 
tingency.  Indeed,  I  am  not  sure  I  did  not  think  it  would 
be  a  little  discreditable  for  the  son  of  an  English  peer, 
to  marry  the  daughter  of  a  Moor.  I  am  almost  ashamed 
to  confess  it,  but  I  will  not  deny  the  truth.  She  was  as 
a  sister  or  a  favorite  cousin  whom  one  never  thinks  of 
as  anything  more  and  never  expects  to  be  anything  less. 
After  all,  I  was  only  a  boy,  and  all  the  more  a  boy  because 
I  had  led  so  quiet  a  life,  full  only  of  dreams  and  a  mother's 
love,  with  never  a  sister  or  a  cousin,  within  the  walls  of 
Edgemont.  Youth  has  strange  dreams,  and  sometimes 
the  most  absurd  are  the  sweetest  and  most  honorable. 
Of  nothing  am  I  now  so  glad  as  that  I  was  not  wiser  then. 

''Will  the  daughter  of,Zenete  go  with  her  father  to 
Oran  or  stay  with  her  mother's  kindred  ?  "  This  was  the 
message  that  came  through  the  Sacristan  of  San  Marco, 
after  the  fall  of  Malaga.  Oran  is  a  city  of  Africa  near 
which  her  father  had  an  estate.  There  was  nothing  more. 
For  days  after  she  heard  this,  Xarifa  lay  prone  before  the 
image  of  the  Virgin  in  the  little  oratory  she  had  prepared 
— fasting  and  praying.  My  heart  was  greatly  troubled. 
I  knew  her  love  for  her  father.  To  go  to  him  meant  eternal 
separation,  not  only  from  me,  but  from  all  I  held  dear  and 
sacred.  Finally  she  came  forth  pale  and  weak,  but  calm. 

"  If  I  stay  with  thee,  wilt  thou  always  be  my  loyal  kins 
man  in  Christ  Jesus  ?  "  she  asked,  looking  earnestly  into 
my  face. 

Then  I  knelt  and  taking  her  hand,  which  held  the  cruci 
fix,  in  mine,  I  swore  that  I  would  love  and  serve  her 
truly  and  faithfully  as  ever  knight  served  a  saintly  mis 
tress,  and  kissed  both  the  holy  symbol  and  the  hand  that 
held  it,  in  attestation  of  my  vow.  I  shall  never  forget  the 
look  of  sweet  contentment  that  came  over  her  face,  as 
she  said  : 


i86 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 


"It  is  enough;  'whither  thou  goest  I  will  go.;  thy 
people  shall  be  my  people  and  thy  God,  my  God.' ' 

Then  she  withdrew  to  take  much  needed  rest.  I  saw 
her  no  more  until  the  morrow,  and  in  the  mean  time  the 
solemnity  of  the  obligation  I  had  taken  on  myself  weighed 
upon  me  greatly.  The  purse  which  I  had  received  from 
his  Excellency,  the  duke,  was  well-nigh  empty,  and  I 
knew  not  how  long  the  monthly  stipend  I  received  from 


him  would  continue.  Indeed,  I  liked  not  to  live  upon  hi:; 
bounty,  however  much  I  might  have  deserved  his  grati 
tude.  These  things  gave  me  great  heaviness  of  spirit, 
and  so  unaffected  were  our  relations  that  I  did  not  hesi 
tate  to  tell  Xarifa  all  that  I  felt.  She  was  sitting  on  a 
cushion  with  her  head  upon  my  knee,  as  was  her  wont, 
when  we  were  by  ourselves,  for  the  Moorish  habit  was 
still  strong  upon  her.  When  I  had  finished  speaking,  she 
rose,  and  asking  that  she  might  be  excused  for  a  moment, 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA.  187 

went  to  her  own  room  whence  she  presently  returned  and 
laid  a  package  in  my  hand.  When  I  unfolded  it  I  saw  it 
was  a  boddice  of  peculiar  character,  consisting' of  a  broad, 
thick  girdle  fastened  with  rings  to  breast  and  back  pieces 
and  looped  with  a  net-work  of  metal  chains  across  the 
shoulder.  These  parts  were  made  of  untanned  skins,  very 
thick,  but  smooth  as  glass,  and  so  hard  as  to  make  it,  when 
worn  underneath  her  Milan  corselet,  one  of  the  most  com 
plete  bits  of  defensive  armor  ever  conceived.  I  noted, 
too,  how  perfectly  it  was  designed  to  conceal  the  feminine 
proportions  of  her  form  by  filling  its  outlines  and  giving  a 
boyish  sturdiness  to  her  figure,  at  which  I  had  wondered 
much  since  she  had  resumed  the  garments  of  her  sex. 
She  no  doubt  divined  my  thoughts,  for  when  I  looked  up, 
after  expressing  admiration  for  its  exquisite  workmanship, 
I  found  her  face  covered  with  blushes. 

"  It  is  very  heavy, "  I  said,  balancing  it  on  my  hand, 
and  extending  it  toward  her.  She  gave  a  low,  pleased 
laugh,  and  taking  it  from  me  turned  it  over,  and  with  a 
deft  movement  opened  one  after  another  a  dozen  silk- 
lined  receptacles  hid  between  the  inner  and  the  outer 
plates  of  this  unique  boddice,  which  might  have  served 
Boadicea  well,  if  she  had  only  had  Moorish  workmen  to 
fashion  one  for  her.  Each  of  these  receptacles  was  filled 
with  treasures — Moorish  gold-pieces,  jewels,  pearls,  and 
precious  stones.  Never  had  I  seen  so  much  value  in  so 
small  a  compass.  I  looked  up  at  her  in  amaze. 

"The  daughter  of  the  Moor  did  not  come  to  her  kins 
man  empty-handed,"  she  said  proudly. 

I  was  glad  to  know  she  was  so  well-provided,  but  some 
how,  it  hurt  me  to  think  she  would  not  owe  everything  to 
me.  I  think  no  man  likes  to  have  those  he  loves  enjoy 
what  is  not  of  his  giving.  That  is  the  difference  between 
man's  love  and  woman's.  Xarifa  must  have  noticed  my 
discomfiture,  for  she  thrust  the  treasure  quickly  into  my 
hand,  saying  : 


1 88  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

"It  is  thine  ;  take  and  use  it  as  thou  wilt." 
I  had  not  thought  of  using  it,  though  the  knowledge 
that  she  had  such  wealth  lifted  a  great  load  from  my  heart  ; 
but  we  agreed  it  was  not  wise  that  such  a  treasure  should 
be  left  in  so  frail  a  receptacle.  So,  having  procured  one 
of  those  steel  caskets,  in  making  which  the  artisans  of 
Toledo  so  greatly  excel,  having  two  locks  and  two  keys 
for  each,  we  deposited  the  greater  part  of  her  wealth  with 
the  Sacristan  of  San  Marco,  to  be  delivered  up  on  the  order 
of  either  of  us,  provided  the  person  bringing  the  same 
should  have  a  key  which  would  open  one  of  the  locks,  a 
key  of  the  other  lock  being  left  with  him  ;  so  that  none 
could  open  it  but  with  his  concurrence,  nor  he  without 
aid  from  another. 

Instead  of  a  receipt,  he  gave  us  two  round  pieces  of  stiff, 
hard  parchment,  each  inscribed  with  the  date  and  a  num 
ber.  One  of  these,  to  occupy  my  leisure,  I  ornamented  after 
the  manner  of  a  dial,  and  affixed  the  key  thereto  in  such 
a  manner  that,  if  at  any  hour  the  figure  representing  that 
hour  were  turned  toward  the  sun  and  the  key  placed  half 
way  between  that  and  the  noonmark  on  the  dial,  it  would 
show  the  direction  of  the  pole-star  as  surely  as  a  lode- 
stone.  It  was  a  trick  which  I  had  learned  from  Signer 
Caboto,  who  said  he  had  often  used  it  at  sea,  when  he 
feared  the  lodestone  had  become  distempered,  to  verify 
its  testimony.  And  thinking  of  these  two,  I  covered  the 
whole  parchment  with  quaint  forms  which  I  had  noted  on 
their  charts,  little  thinking  what  evil  might  result  there- 
fru.-'i.  Xarifa  took  it  finally  and  put  it  in  the  boddice 
where  the  rest  of  the  treasure  was.  The  other  piece  I 
kept  myself,  while  the  second  key  of  the  other  lock,  we 
enclosed  in  a  stout  parchment  wrapper  and  with  it  a  letter 
to  my  father  containing  a  full  account  of  all  that  had  oc 
curred  since  my  departure  from  home  and  also  a  heavy 
signet-ring  which  Xarifa  desired  to  send  him  as  a  present. 
In  this  letter  I  told  him  that  if  he  wished  to  know  what 


OUT  OF  TtiE  SUNSET  SEA.  189 

service  I  had  rendered  he  might  ask  whom  he  chose  what 
sort  of  a  soldier  was  El  Capitan  del  Porro. 

It  was  a  foolish  boast,  but  I  was  only  a  boy  and  anxious 
that  my  father  should  know  I  had  done  something  of 
which  he  need  not  be  ashamed. 

This  letter  was  given  to  Jacobo  to  be  sent  to  Master 
Flemming  by  the  next  sliip  that  should  sail  to  Bristol 
from  any  convenient  port.  I  wrote  also  to  Master  Flem 
ming,  but  not  very  fully. 

These  things  done,  I  grew  impatient  to  be  again  in  the 
field,  for  one  with  the  instinct  of  a  soldier  is  aye  weary  of 
ease  when  he  hears  the  trumpets  blare  about  him.  I  was 
glad,  therefore,  to  get,  soon  afterward,  a  peremptory  order 
from  the  Duke  of  Medina  Sidonia  to  report  to  the  Chevalier 
de  Cordova  at  his  palace  in  the  city. 


GONSALVO  DE  CORDOVA  was  not  then  '  'the  Great  Captain, " 
though  he  was  already  spoken  of  as  ''the  Prince  of 
Cavaliers."  Handsome,  gay,  of  a  reckless  daring-,  true 
to  his  friends,  loyal  to  his  King,  and  a  prime  favorite  with 
Queen  Isabella  ;  of  luxurious  habits  but  able  to  undergo 
inconceivable  fatigue,  he  had,  also,  the  very  remarkable 
distinction  of  having  fewer  enemies  than  any  man  of  our 
time — perhaps  fewer  than  any  great  man  of  any  time. 
United  with  these  qualities,  was  a  strange  winsomeness 
of  manner,  which  caused  men  to  accept  his  leadership  in 
battle  or  advice  in  counsel,  without  argument  or  suspicion, 
and  a  genius  for  military  affairs  as  unobtrusive  as  it  was 
marvelous.  His  long  service  with  the  Spanish  armies 
had  shown  him  their  defects,  and  without  discussion  or 
advice  he  set  himself  to  make  those  changes  on  which  his 
future  fame  so  greatly  depended.  He  was  one  of  the  first 
to  recognize  the  fact  that  afoot-soldier  is  better  and  cheaper 
than  a  horseman,  if  he  is  so  armed  and  disciplined  as  to 
develop  his  full  capacity. 

When  I  was  first  ushered  into  his  presence  he  sat  in  a 
sumptuous  chair  having  high  carved  arms,  over  which 
was  thrown  a  lion's  skin.  It  was  of  a  fashion  said  to  have 
190 


0  UT  OF  THE  SUNSE  T  SEA .  191 

been  modeled  on  the  throne-chairs  of  the  Moors,  which 
was  at  that  time  much  in  vogue.  He  was  attired  in  a 
suit  of  rich  brocade  and  velvet.  At  his  right  was  a  small 
table,  the  top  of  which  was  a  single  slab  of  that  rich 
stone,  shining  like  emerald,  only  a  paler  green,  as  if  it  had 
caught  the  light  by  lying  for  ages  under  the  waters  of  the 
sea,  as  indeed  some  say  it  hath,  which  the  plunder  of 
Moorish  palaces  had  introduced  into  Spain.  I  had  seen 
pieces  of  it  before,  but  never  one  so  large,  and  indeed  only 
in  the  palace  of  the  Alhambra  have  I  seen  its  equal  since. 
On  this  table  were  writing  materials  and  a  book  to  which 
he  now  and  then  recurred  as  if  it  contained  memorandums 
of  what  he  had  in  hand.  Back  of  this,  at  another  table, 
sat  a  secretary  who  took  notes  of  such  matters  as  he  was 
directed  to  record.  He  was  evidently  engaged  in  the  dis 
patch  of  business,  for  while  I  waited  in  the  ante-room 
more  than  a  score  passed  through  the  double  velvet  cur 
tains  into  the  room  where  he  sat,  only  to  come  forth  after 
a  brief  interview  arid  hurry  away  as  if  charged  to  use 
dispatch  in  executing  the  orders  they  had  received.  At 
last,  there  was  but  one  remaining  with  me,  a  small  slender 
man  of  about  my  own  age,  with  regular  features,  a  piercing 
eye  and  a  composed  manner.  While  others  chafed  at 
being  required  to  wait,  he  stood  quietly  looking  out  of 
the  window.  I  was  greatly  impressed  with  his  youth  and 
grace,  both  of  which  were  enhanced  by  the  slightness  of 
his  form,  which,  however,  was  compact  and  wiry.  We 
were  bidden  to  enter  together,  and  he  led  the  way  as  if 
entitled  of  right  to  precedence.  I  noted  the  fact  with  a 
smile,  as  characteristic  of  the  Spanish  people  to  whom, 
though  the  most  fastidious  people  in  the  world,  self-asser 
tion  seems  altogether  consistent  writh  gentle  manners. 

The  Chevalier  Gonsalvo  looked  up  as  we  entered  and 
watched  our  approach  with  a  steady  glance.  I  was  be 
comingly  arrayed  and  knew  that  my  appearance  was  that 
of  one  accustomed  to  a  military  life,  so  I  felt  no  discom- 


492 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 


posure  in  coming  into  the  presence  of  the  great  Captain. 
Motioning  me  to  one  side  with  a  gesture  that  was  a 
request  in  its  gentle  courtesy,  he  addressed  my  com 
panion  : 

"  Your  name,  Seftor?" 

"  Alonzo  de  Ojeda." 

"Your  wish  ?  " 

"To  serve  in  the  corps  you  are  recruiting." 

"  In  what  capacity  ?  " 

"  Such  as  you  may  assign  me." 


' '  What  can  you  do  ?  " 

"  I  carry  a  sword,"  touching  the  hilt  lightly. 
"What  service  would  you  prefer?  " 
"  WThat  others  shrink  from." 
"  If  I  give  thee  a  spear  ?  " 
"  Thou  shalt  never  find  it  out  of  line. " 
"Bring   me  twenty  spearmen    and   thou   shalt   be   an 
ensign." 

He  waved  his  hand  and  the  other  withdrew. 

"And  now,  Senor,  by  what  name  shall  I  call  you?  " 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 


193 


There  was  something'  in  his  tone  and  smile  which  satis 
fied  me  that  I  was  recognized  :  but  I  answered  gravely  : 

"  Tallerte  de  Lajes,  at  your  lordship's  service." 

"  Tallerte  de  Lajes!  Good  sooth,  a  fair  name,  but  I 
remember  it  not.  May  I  ask  if  you  are  a  Biscayan  ? " 

I  bowed  my  head  but  made  no  reply.  He  made  a  sign 
to  his  secretary,  who  left  the  room  and  we  were  alone. 

"  Thou  wishest  service  ?  " 

"That  is  my  desire." 

"In  what  capacity  ?  " 

"Where  I  may  serve  with  credit  to  myself  and  advan 
tage  to  the  cause  of  their  Catholic  Majesties." 

"  What  induces  thee  to  seek  service  ?  " 

"There  be  many  reasons." 

"What  is  the  strongest?  " 

"A  pair  of  spurs." 

"What  other  reward  dost  thou  expect  ? " 

"Faith!  I  know  of  nothing,  beyond  reasonable  pay 
and  good  equipment." 

"  Rank  ?     Favor  ?     Place  for  others  ?  " 

"I  seek  nothing  for  myself,  beyond  the  distinction  of 
a  good  soldier,  and  have  neither  family  nor  friends  for 
whom  I  need  ask  favor. " 

"And  if  thy  service  be  one  of  which  few  know  the 
merit  ?  " 

"  If  Gonsalvo  de  Cordova  counts  it  important,  and  it  be 
worthy  of  a  soldier,  I  am  content." 

"  And  how  about  the  reward  ?  " 

"I  leave  that  to  thee." 

"Hark  ye,  Senor ;  I  am  making  up  a  body  of  foot- 
soldiers.  It  is  on  them  we  must  rely  hereafter,  regular 
foot-battalions,  not  a  horse  among  them.  I  mean  to  arm 
and  drill  them  on  a  new  plan  ;  every  third  file  to  carry  long 
pikes  like  the  Swiss  infantry  and  the  other  two,  sword 
and  buckler,  with  perhaps  a  short  spear.  What  think  ye 
of  it  ?  " 


IQ4  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

"  If  well  trained  they  should  be  effective." 

"  I  mean  them  to  be  pikemen  against  cavalry  and 
swordsmen  against  infantry." 

"  Why  not  all  pikemen  at  need  ?  "  I  answered.  "Short 
pikes  in  the  front  and  long  ones  behind  them  ?  " 

"God's  death,  Senor!  "  he  exclaimed,  springing  to  his 
feet.  "Thou  hast  my  thought  exactly — a  combination 
of  Swiss  pikemen  and  Asturian  spearmen  with  bucklers 
and  swords.  Say  one  spearman  to  two  swordsmen  !  " 

"That  should  make  a  strong  line  and  a  flexible  force." 

"That  is  it  ;  the  Swiss  pikes  are  too  heavy." 

"The  Moors  ran  under  them  in  the  pass  of  Malaga  and 
made  short  work  with  those  that  held  them. " 

"Ah,  thou  sawest  that?  Yet  the  Swiss  infantry  bids 
defiance  to  the  best  cavalry  in  Europe  as  long  as  its  forma 
tion  holds.  What  we  need  is  a  union  of  heavy  spearmen 
and  light  swordsmen — the  one  with  shoulders  like  thine 
and  the  other  with  legs  like  mountain  goats. " 

"Was  that  why  you  proffered  a  spear  to  the  Senor 
Ojeda?  "  I  asked  with  a  smile. 

"If  he  is  content  to  bear  a  spear  he  will  deserve  a 
sword. " 

This  was  the  key  of  "the  Great  Captain's"  success. 
He  knew  every  man's  merit  and  how  to  make  it  available. 

After  a  moment  he  added  : 

"I  am  raising  such  a  corps.  There  must  be  no  rank  or 
favor  in  it.  A  swineherd  shall  stand  on  a  level  with  an 
hidalgo  in  opportunity,  if  intelligent  and  brave.  There 
must  be  one  uniform  rule  of  merit  ;  and  only  courage  and 
skill  be  of  any  avail  to  secure  preferment.  To  assist  in  its 
organization  I  want  one  who  has  some  idea  of  discipline 
and  some  experience  as  a  soldier,  but  who  knows  no  one 
in  all  the  realm  and  is  willing  to  remain  unknown  to  the 
very  end.  Rank  and  favor  are  the  curse  of  our  Spanish 
army.  Their  Majesties  have  given  me  full  control  in 
this  matter.  Are  you  minded  to  take  such  place  ?  " 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA.  195 

"What  is  the  place?"  I  asked,  quite  dazed  by  the 
offer. 

"You  will  be  the  Adjutant  of  Infantry  in  my  household. 
Everything-  concerning  the  equipment,  drill,  discipline  of 
this  corps,  will  be  done  through  you.  You  shall  have 
clerks  and  couriers  as  many  as  you  require,  and  any 
equipment  you  wish.  Gonsalvo  de  Cordova  is  not  nig 
gardly  with  them  that  serve  faithfully.  But  you  will  act 
only  in  my  name  ;  I  would  you  might  be  wholly  unknown, 
except  as  my  Adjutant." 

"It  is  only  a  matter  of  a  basinet  and  a  visor,"  I 
responded,  musingly.  "  How  large  is  the  corps  to  be  ?  " 

"  I  am  granted  leave  to  muster  ten  thousand,  and  hope 
to  get  five  ;  perhaps  no  more  than  three  !  " 

"  I  will  try  to  fulfill  your  wish." 

"Good.  I  will  make  order  for  your  maintenance,  forth 
with.  If  you  do  not  object  to  wear  a  basinet  with  an 
open  visor,  so  much  the  better.  It  is  a  sure  bar  to  prying 
eyes,  even  if  it  do  not  cover  all  the  face.  My  armorer 
shall  make  one  under  my  direction  if  you  will  allow  him 
to  take  the  necessary  measurements.  I  think  one  might 
be  made  that  would  become  thee  well.  Thou  shalt  have 
a  liberal  provision,  and  if  thou  servest  to  my  satisfaction, 
I  will  gladly  charge  myself  with  providing  the  golden 
ornaments  thou  wishest  for  thy  heels — if  thou  be  of  noble 
blood,  that  is,"  he  added  cautiously. 

"If  it  be  not  equal  in  honor  with  thine  own,  your 
Excellency,  I  will  ask  naught,"  I  answered,  a  little 
proudly. 

"Indeed  !  "  he  responded  with  more  consideration  than 
he  had  before  shown,  "when  shall  I  learn  by  what  style 
thou  art  entitled  to  be  known  ?  " 

"When  thou  hast  no  farther  use  for  an  Adjutant  of 
Infantry,"  I  answered. 

"  Agreed.  When  that  time  conies,  I  will  let  thee  know. 
When  wilt  thou  begin  thy  duty  ?  " 


196  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

"To-morrow,  your  Excellency. " 

"Till  to-morrow  then,  adios. " 

He  extended  his  hand  ;  I  touched  it,  bowed  and  with 
drew,  no  longer  wondering  that  the  Queen  had  said  it  was 
"  worth  the  trouble  of  being  a  sovereign  to  have  one  such 
subject  as  Gonsalvo  de  Cordova." 

From  that  day  until  the  fall  of  Granada,  I  hardly  un- 
helmed  a  score  of  times  in  the  presence  of  a  stranger. 
Once  was,  when  the  Dona  Guadita  de  Ullana,  bathed  in 
tears  for  the  loss  of  her  gallant  husband,  begged  the 
soldier  who  had  rescued  his  body  from  the  Moors,  at  the 
very  gate  of  Baza,  that  he  would  lift  his  visor  that  she 
might  know  for  whom  she  ought  to  pray.  When  I  com 
plied  with  her  request  and  she  saw  who  it  was  had  risked 
his  life  to  rescue  the  brave  knight's  body,  she  thanked 
God  because  it  was  as  the  dead,  to  whom  she  had  vowed 
eternal  widowhood,  would  have  desired.  When  she  asked 
what  guerdon  she  could  give  I  craved  only  the  kerchief 
stained  with  her  tears.  Whereat  all  applauded,  and  she 
vowed  that  any  request  I  might  make  consistent  with  her 
honor,  she  would  grant  if  it  were  in  her  last  hour. 

The  Infantry  of  Gonsalvo  de  Cordova  made  its  mark  in 
that  savage  war,  and  won  for  its  chief  much  honor  ;  also 
for  some  of  its  "  Captains  of  Fifties,"  more  than  one  of 
whom  was  there  trained  for  victory  and  renown  in  lands 
which  were  then  undreamed  of,  save  by  that  white-haired 
giant,  who,  without  helm  or  salade,  cut  his  way  with  a 
huge  two-handed  blade  into  the  midst  of  the  turbaned 
throng,  which  made  a  stand  about  the  Holy  Fountain, 
in  the  Orchard  of  Baza.  But  for  Gonsalvo's  Infantry  there 
had  been  an  end  then  and  there  of  all  attempt  to  reach 
the  Ind  by  sailing  westward. 

Some  of  the  glory  won  by  the  new  corps  shone  by  re 
flection  on  the  Adjutant  of  Infantry,  but  no  one  spoke  his 
name  or  gave  him  other  recognition.  He  was  simply  an 
upper  servant  in  the  military  household  of  "  the  Prince  of 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA.  197 

Cavaliers. "  Yet  I  enjoyed  the  duty  that  devolved  upon 
me,  and  not  seeking  nor  expecting  promotion  or  any  per 
sonal  advancement  except  the  knighthood  on  which  my 
heart  had  so  long  been  set,  I  was  content  to  do  my  duty 
without  regard  to  consequences.  This  was  all  the  easier 
from  the  fact  that  though  I  did  everything  and  suggested 
many  things,  all  was  in  Gonsalvo  de  Cordova's  name, 
and  I  acted  only  as  his  instrument.  The  position 
was  exactly  fitted  both  to  my  temper  and  preparation. 
It  was  half-clerical,  which  suited  my  studious  habits,  yet 
of  a  character  requiring  administrative  ability  as  well  as 
giving  scope  for  that  sort  of  military  knowledge  which 
is  gathered  from  hearing  battles  and  sieges,  arms  and 
armies,  familiarly  discussed  by  those  who  have  not  only 
borne  arms  but  exercised  high  command.  This  I  say, 
not  to  praise  myself,  but  because  the  memory  of  that  time 
brings  back  a  proud  day  when  Gonsalvo  de  Cordova 
publicly  acknowledged  the  indebtedness  of  his  fame  to 
my  efficiency. 

Nevertheless,  there  was  one  who  had  not  forgotten  Del 
Porro.  Riding  at  eventide  across  the  plain  that  lay  with 
out  the  wralls  of  Granada  after  service  in  the  conquered 
city  had  become  monotonous,  I  spoke  to  one  whom  I 
overtook,  somewhat  bitterly  of  the  wrongs  imposed  upon 
the  subjugated  people  and  the  rapacity  of  the  Holy  Office, 
who,  when  the  war  against  the  Moors  was  over,  began  at 
once  the  spoliation  of  the  Jews  to  fill  the  depleted  treasury. 
As  if  shaped  out  of  the  gathering  mist,  an  unshod  mule 
came  softly  over  the  white  dust  to  my  side,  and  a  voice 
I  shall  never  forget,  exclaimed  in  cold,  harsh  tones  : 

"Who  art  thou  that  speakest  thus  lightly  of  the  Right 
Hand  of  God  ?  " 

"And  who  art  thou  that  makest  such  demand  of  a 
soldier  of  their  Majesties  ?  " 

"  Men  call  me  the  '  Pillar  of  Fire,'  "  was  the  calm,  ex 
ultant  reply. 


198  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

"God  have  mercy  !"  shouted  my  companion.  "Tor- 
quemada  !  "  Thereupon  he  put  spurs  to  his  horse  and 
fled.  I  never  saw  him  more.  As  he  had  spoken  quite  as 
harshly  as  I,  he  had  equal  reason  to  fear.  I  did  not  attempt 
to  fly  ;  not  because  I  did  not  fear,  for  I  felt  a  chill  as  of 
death  creep  down  my  back  under  my  armor,  though  it  was 
midsummer  and  the  breath  of  the  south  wind  was  stifling. 
But  I  knew  it  was  useless  to  try  to  escape  from  one 
who  had  ten  thousand  eyes  and  ears  at  his  command  in 
Spain,  and  who  held  King  and  Queen  in  mortal  terror  of 
his  wrath.  Only  guile  could  serve,  and  of  this  there  was 
little  hope.  Even  then  a  dull  flame  just  visible  to  the  right 
of  the  road  we  traveled,  showed  where  another  victim, 
"  delivered  up  to  the  civil  authorities,"  had  expired  in  the 
flames  of  the  Quemadero,  which  was  set  up  without  the 
city,  almost  before  the  cross  had  been  reared  within  it. 

"What  is  thy  name?"  asked  the  Chief  Inquisitor, 
sternly. 

"In  truth,  Holy  Father,"  I  answered,  "  my  words  were 
but  lightly  spoken.  A  soldier  abhors  bloodshed  except  by 
the  sword  and  in  open  strife. " 

"The  Holy  Office  sheds  no  man's  blood,"  he  answered 
with  the  self-complacency  of  one  whose  wit  avoids  the 
curse  but  gloats  over  the  accomplished  fact.  "  The  Holy 
Word  declares  an  unqualified  curse  against  every  one  by 
whom  man's  blood  is  shed  :  '  by  man  shall  his  blood  be 
shed.'  It  is  not  seemly  that  the  servants  of  the  Most  High 
should  be  exposed  to  this  anathema,  in  their  efforts  to  rid 
the  world  of  error  and  unbelief.  In  all  that  they  do,  there 
fore,  care  is  taken  to  shed  no  drop  of  blood,  even  of  the 
unworthiest  while  probing  his  soul  for  sin  and  compelling 
assent  to  the  truths  he  hates.  Even  when  found  incor 
rigible,  the  sentence  of  destruction  is  never  executed  by 
the  agents  of  the  Holy  Office,  but  clothed  in  the  garb  of 
the  impenitent,  the  unhappy  one  against  whom  eternal 
doom  is  pronounced,  through  the  faithfulness  of  their 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA.  199 

Catholic  Majesties,  is  executed  by  the  civil  authorities  by 
burning  only  ;  in  order  that  even  by  implication  no  drop 
of  blood  may  be  shed  by  our  action." 

Who  shall  tell  the  horror  inspired  by  this  man's  uncon 
scious  exultation  in  his  pious  duplicity  !  As  if  God  could 
be  deceived  by  such  shallow  pretense  !  I  have  wondered 
often  that  I  did  not  draw  and  then  and  there  do  what  in 
me  lay  to  rid  the  earth  of  one  of  the  most  horrible  mon 
sters  who  ever  filled  happy  homes  with  woe  in  the  name 
of  God  and  the  merciful  Christ  !  If  I  had  known  what  a 
brief  period  was  to  reveal,  I  had  surely  made  the  attempt, 
though  it  was  said  that  a  coat-of-mail  which  he  wore 
under  his  priestly  garb  had  more  than  once  foiled  the  hand 
of  vengeance.  I  managed,  however,  to  command  my 
voice  enough  to  say  : 

"I  doubt  not  thou  art  right,  Holy  Father  ;  I  am  no 
casuist  and  shall  willingly  do  penance  for  my  words." 

"Aye,  thou  shalt  do  penance,  of  that  be  assured  ;  but 
thou  were  not  so  modest  about  thy  casuistic  skill  a  little 
time  ago,  methinks.  What  is  thy  name  ?  " 

"Men  call  me  Del  Porro,"  I  answered  as  calmly  as  I 
could. 

But  now  it  was  my  listener's  turn  to  show  surprise. 

"Del  Porro!  The  Duke  of  Medina-Sidonia's  Cap 
tain!"  he  exclaimed.  "Where  hast  thou  hid  thyself  so 
long  ? " 

"In  truth,  Holy  Father, "  I  answered,  "you  must  not 
blame  a  soldier  if  you  find  him  not,  because  he  is  in  the 
front  of  battle  rather  than  with  them  that  chant  the  vic 
tory.  " 

"But  thou  mightest  have  heard  the  King's  trumpets  ! 
Knowest  thou  not  that  for  a  year  proclamation  hath  been 
made  for  thee  in  every  camp  and  a  reward  offered  for  him 
that  should  find  thee  dead  or  alive  !  That  every  Familiar 
in  Spain  hath  special  order  to  seize  thee  and  bring  thee 
before  their  Majesties  without  delayer  intervention  !  God 


200  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

and  Saint  Dominic  be  praised  for  this  good  fortune  ! 
Come  thou  with  me,  my  son  !  " 

He  reached  out  his  hand  to  take  my  rein,  but  the  bridle 
of  Achmet's  son  was  far  beyond  his  reach  before  he  could 
touch  it  with  a  finger.  Ere  he  could  recover,  my  sword 
was  out  and  though  I  would  not  turn  its  point  against  a 
man  of  his  calling,  I  thought  it  no  harm  to  send  it  into  the 
neck  of  his  mule  just  where  the  jointure  leaves  the  mar 
row  exposed,  whereby  the  good  Father  was  suddenly 
rolled  in  the  dust. 

<(  Good-bye,  Holy  Father!"  I  shouted  as  I  spurred 
away.  "It  will  be  more  than  two  years  ere  thou  seest 
me  again  ! " 

"Stop  !  Stop  !  "  he  cried.  "Thou  knowest  not  what 
thou  art  fleeing  from  !  I  will  forgive  thy  sacrilege  and 
impiety  ! — I  will  absolve  thy  offense,  if  thou  wilt  but  wait 
and  hear  me  !  " 

Achmet's  hoof-strokes  drowned  his  voice  as  we  fled  away 
into  the  darkness. 


HEN  I  reached  my  quarters,  I  found  a 
courier  awaiting  my  return.  The 
"  Prince  of  Cavaliers  "  was  a  man  of 
wonderful  concentration  of  thought 
as  well  as  amazing  aptitude  for  bus 
iness.  Though  now  for  months  the 
festivities  over  the  final  conquest  of 
the  Moor  had  been  going  on,  first  in  one  place  and 
then  in  another,  and  he  all  the  time  in  attendance 
on  their  Majesties,  yet  never  once  had  he  failed  to 
send  the  weekly  packet  of  orders  for  the  scattered 
companies,  which  were  almost  the  only  representa 
tives  of  the  sovereign  power  remaining  in  the  conquered 
territory.  Of  course,  those  who  had  been  given  castles 
and  towns,  in  reward  for  services,  had  garrisoned  them 
with  their  own  retainers,  but  the  only  armed  body  subject 
directly  to  the  royal  orders,  was  Gonsalvo  de  Cordova's 
Royal  Infantry.  It  was  dispersed  in  small  detachments 
all  over  Granada,  and  my  duty  was  to  forward  to  each  the 
orders  sent  by  the  Commander,  supplemented  by  such 
minor  directions  as  might  seem  to  me  needful  to  make,  but 
not  requiring  specific  reference  to  him. 

I  opened  the  packet  and  hurriedly  ran  over  its  contents. 

201 


202  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

It  was  by  this  means  that  I  had  heard  occasionally  from 
Xarifa,  and  I  always  hoped  each  package  might  contain 
a  message  from  her.  We  had  never  been  lovers  in  the 
sense  of  the  word  which  implies  an  amatory  corre 
spondence.  I  had  written  to  her  as  a  kinswoman,  and 
her  letters  had  been  full  of  anticipation  of  the  time 
when  I  should  receive  the  reward  of  my  service  and  we 
should  go  to  our  people  in  dear,  verdant  England.  I  knew 
that  she,  as  well  as  I,  was  getting  weary  of  the  delay  which 
still  deferred  the  recognition  for  which  I  had  stipulated, 
and  which  had  been  expressly  promised  by  Cordova,  in 
the  name  of  his  sovereigns. 

Except  this,  I  had  nothing  of  which  to  complain  in  the 
conduct  of  my  patron.  The  terms  of  our  contract  had 
been  generously  observed  on  his  part,  in  other  respects ;  but 
among  all  the  honors  conferred  by  the  sovereigns,  after 
the  close  of  the  long  war  there  had  been  no  mention  of 
my  name  nor  any  indication  of  purpose  to  reward  my 
services.  I  had  begun  to  fear  that  the  place  of  an  upper 
servant  in  the  household  of  the  "Great  Captain"  was  no 
exception  to  the  general  fate  of  the  servant  whose  master 
has  no  farther  need  for  his  services — to  be  paid  his  wages 
and  discharged  without  a  character.  My  interview  with 
the  Chief  Inquisitor  had  not  served  to  quiet  my  apprehen 
sion.  I  had  now  an  open  and  ruthless  enemy  who  would 
not  fail  to  pursue  me  while  my  feet  rested  on  Spanish  soil. 
Nay,  I  remembered  with  some  bitterness  that  he  had  lately 
been  given  control  of  the  frontiers  of  the  kingdom, so  that 
no  one  could  leave  any  port  or  go  into  any  adjoining  king 
dom  without  a  permit  from  him  or  one  of  his  satellites. 
The  Inquisition  was  charged  with  the  execution  of  the 
edict  against  the  Jews,  and,  in  order  to  prevent  them  from 
carrying  out  of  the  realm  money  or  jewels,  it  was  neces 
sary  that  the  ports  and  barriers  should  be  strictly  guarded 
by  Alguazils  of  the  Holy  Office.  This  man  who,  as  I 
believed,  had  already  prevented  my  advancement,  now 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA.  203 

stood  not  only  between  me  and  preferment,  but  between 
me  and  escape. 

These  thoughts  swept  through  my  mind  as  half-uncon- 
sciously  I  scanned  the  contents  of  my  dispatches.  Among 
letters  for  the  captains  and  officers,  orders,  dismissals  and 
the  general  routine  of  a  Commander's  duty,  was  one  ad 
dressed  to  me  in  a  lady's  hand.  It  was  not  Xarifa's,  how 
ever,  and  I  opened  it  wondering  from  whom  it  could  be. 
It  read  : 

''  Dear  Friend  and  brave  :  I  ought,  perhaps,  to  beg  indul 
gence  for  what  may  seem  an  unbecoming  act ;  but  1  can 
not  forbear,  both  because  I  owe  more  than  life  to  thy  valor, 
and  also  because  thou  wert  his  friend  whom  my  soul  still 
loves  and  didst  rescue  his  body  from  the  hands  of  the  Infi 
dels  and  receive  the  last  words  from  his  lips.  I  have  rea 
son  to  fear  that  thou  art  in  danger.  Proclamation  hath 
been  made  in  all  the  cities  for  one  Artis  del  Porro  and  one 
Arturo  Lac,  and  I  am  told  that  strict  orders  have  been 
given  to  all  magistrates,  especially  at  the  ports,  to  secure 
his  apprehension  and  delivery  to  the  proper  authorities. 
I  cannot  learn  the  reason  of  it,  but  we  know  what  such 
an  order  means. 

"  I  am  only  a  weak  woman,  but  if  thou  canst  reach  the 
Castle  de  Ullana,  on  the  Gaudiara,  which  my  dear  lord  did 
leave  in  my  control  in  evidence  of  his  love,  I  will  assure 
thee  safe-hiding  until  something  may  be  done  to  avert  thy 
peril  or  a  way  be  found  for  thy  escape.  Though  it  be 
near  the  city,  I  beg  to  assure  thee  that  it  is  very  far  from 
the  Court ;  so  thou  mayst  remain  here  perhaps  more  safely 
than  in  a  more  retired  place. 

"  And  this  I  pray  thou  wilt  accept  as  a  token  of  friendly 
regard  from  one  who  hath  no  longer  any  heart  for  aught 
beside. 

"  DOHA  GUADITA  DE  ULLANA." 

So  I  was  already  in  the  toils.     I  opened  the  dispatches. 


204 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 


Among  them  was  a  copy  of  the  proclamation  addressed 
to  me  in  the  Prince's  own  hand. 
I  read  : 


"Whereas  one  Artis  del  Porro,  sometimes  calling1  him 
self  Arturo  Lac,  hath,  in  defiance  of  our  royal  will,  re 
fused  to  discover  and  reveal  himself  when  thereto  com 
manded  by  due  proclamation  made,  now  therefore,  to  all 
officers  of  the  realm  civil  and  military  to  whom  this  shall 
come  : 

"You  are  commanded 
to  apprehend  the  said 
Artis  del  Porro,  or  so-call 
ed  Arturo  Lac,  using  such 
force  as  may  be  neces 
sary,  but  no  more,  and 
bring  him  with  all  dis 
patch,  but  without  un 
necessary  constraint  into 
our  presence,  that  he 
may  be  dealt  with  as 
he  hath  deserved  at  our 
hands." 

Then  followed  a  de 
scription,  at  which  I 
could  but  smile,  for  few 
would  recognize  the 

awkward  soldier  of  Malaga  in  the  elegant  and  luxuriously 
equipped  Adjutant  of  Infantry  of  the  Prince  of  Cavaliers. 
Without  express  orders,  but  with  the  desire  to  please 
my  patron,  albeit  noway  against  my  own  will,  I  had 
fallen  into  the  lavishness  which  marked  his  household, 
and  in  arms  and  clothing  was  more  like  a  military  ex 
quisite  than  the  somber  figure  described  in  the  proclama 
tion.  While  I  was  wondering  why  my  patron  had  sent 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA.  205 

this,  my  eye  fell  on  a  letter  to  Alonzo  de  Ojeda,  now 
a  lieutenant  of  one  of  our  Companies,  and  of  all 
our  officers  the  one  with  whom  I  was  on  most  friendly 
terms.  His  rise  had  been  rapid.  Though  of  insignifi 
cant  stature  he  was  of  amazing  strength  and  fortitude  ; 
of  a  courage  nothing  could  daunt  ;  skilled  in  all  that 
makes  a  soldier  ;  of  a  grace  and  courtesy  withal 
that  could  not  fail  to  please,  and  of  a  kindly  considerate- 
ness  that  bound  all  under  his  command  to  willing  service. 
He  knew  nothing  but  obedience,  and  friendship  would  no 
more  stand  in  the  way  of  duty  with  him  than  danger  or 
sloth. 

This  letter  was  endorsed  with  direction  to  deliver  it 
into  his  own  hands.  This  was  not  unusual  with 
orders  of  special  importance  which  I  was  expected 
to  read  before  transmitting.  I  opened  this,  thinking 
all  the  time  of  what  the  Dona  Guadita  had  written,  and 
not  once  guessing  that  I  would  have  any  interest  in  its 
contents.  One  can  imagine  my  surprise,  therefore,  when 
I  read  this  in  the  handwriting  of  Gonsalvo  de  Cordova 
himself : 

"You  will  apprehend  the  Adjutant  of  Infantry,  at  his 
quarters  in  the  City  of  Granada,  and  bring  him  with  all 
convenient  dispatch,  but  without  violence  and  without 
giving  information  of  your  purpose  to  any  one,  to  my 
palace  in  the  City  of  Cordova,  permitting  him  to  speak  to 
no  one  until  you  shall  have  safely  delivered  him  into  my 
hand." 

[Signed]  "  GONSALVO  DE  CORDOVA." 

And  this  was  the  end  !  Even  the  patron  I  had  served 
so  faithfully,  had  turned  against  me  and  ordered  my  arrest. 
And  I  hoped  to  win  a  knight's  spurs  in  his  service  !  I 
would  be  fortunate  now,  it  seemed,  if  I  saved  the  heels 
without  the  spurs.  Strangely  enough,  I  laughed  over  this 


2o6  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

combination  of  misadventures.  Not  that  I  felt  no  disap 
pointment  or  underestimated  the  peril  of  my  situation  ; 
but  there  are  times  when  one  may  as  well  laugh  as  cry, 
and  when  the  very  act  of  laughter  seems  to  clear  the 
brain  and  enable  one  to  make  a  harder  fight  with  fate. 
Anyhow,  I  laughed,  even  as  I  decided  that  instead  of 
waiting  to  be  haled  to  Cordova,  I  would  make  my  way 
to  the  Castle  de  Ullana  and  see  if,  by  hook  or  crook,  I 
could  not  slip  through  my  enemies'  fingers. 

There  was  little  to  do.  Putting  the  order  to  Ojeda  in 
the  breast  of  my  doublet,  I  wrote  another  directing  him 
to  take  charge  of  my  office  ;  called  a  sergeant  and  in 
formed  him  that  I  had  been  ordered  at  once  to  Cordova, 
and,  with  a  single  attendant,  mounted  on  a  stout  gray 
horse  which  I  rode  in  order  to  save  the  Son  of  Achmet 
for  the  last  stage  of  the  long  journey  that  lay  before  me, 
set  out  at  midnight  to  follow  the  course  of  the  swift, 
winding  Jenil  till  its  waters  meet  the  Guadalquivir,  a  hun 
dred  miles  away. 

Three  days  afterward,  without  further  mishap  than  the 
weariness  that  comes  from  so  long  a  ride  in  full  armor 
in  midsummer,  I  reached  the  Castle  de  Ullana,  and  giving 
the  Son  of  Achmet  to  the  warder's  care  with  strict  injunc 
tions  to  provide  for  his  comfort,  followed  a  page  to  the 
presence  of  its  Chatelaine. 

Dona  Guadita  had  passed  the  first  year  of  her  widow 
hood,  and  was  nearing  the  close  of  the  second.  Her 
brief  wedded  life,  with  the  affliction  that  followed,  had 
added  to  rather  than  detracted  from  her  charms.  She  had 
acquired  a  repose  and  sweetness  of  manner  which  well 
became  her  widow's  garb,  and  as  she  crossed  the  wide 
hall  into  which  I  was  ushered  to  greet  me,  I  thought  I 
had  never  seen  a  more  queenly  or  attractive  woman. 
Mayhap,  the  fact  that  I  was  able  to  make  this  observation 
was  conclusive  evidence  that  she  no  longer  made  the 
same  impression  on  my  heart  that  she  once  had,  and  this 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA.  207 

was  probably  evident  from  my  manner,  for  the  slight 
embarrassment  which  had  shown  in  hers,  soon  wore  off 
and  never  reappeared.  The  truth  is,  my  mind  was  so 
full  of  Xarifa  and  how  we  might  escape  out  of  the  king 
dom  that  I  was  not  able  to  interpret  the  look  of  tender 
inquiry  with  which  she  greeted  me. 

When  I  had  unbraced  and  partaken  of  refreshments, 
the  Dona  Guadita  would  have  had  me  retire  for  rest,  but  I 
was  too  anxious  to  know  what  was  before  me  to  sleep, 
and  protested  that  I  was  not  in  the  least  weary  ;  and,  as 
she  seemed  not  less  anxious  to  hear  than  I  to  tell,  she 
was  soon  in  possession  of  my  story. 

"There  is  something  mysterious  about  the  matter," 
she  said,  when  she  had  heard  me  to  the  end.  She 
wrinkled  her  brows  and  patted  her  fair  cheek  impatiently 
with  her  fan,  which  is  the  Spanish  lady's  inseparable 
companion,  as  she  considered  my  story  and  compared  it 
with  what  she  had  otherwise  learned.  "  I  cannot  under 
stand  why  such  extraordinary  effort  should  be  made  for 
your  apprehension.  You  do  not  seem  to  have  done  any 
thing  which  could  be  regarded  as  prejudicial  to  the  realm." 

"There  is  the  matter  of  St.  Felipe  de  Malaga,"  I  sug 
gested. 

"  San  Bagatelle  !  "  she  retorted,  contemptuously,  "  beg 
ging  the  Saints'  pardon  for  adding  such  a  name  to  the 
calendar.  Ferdinand  of  Aragon  is  a  pious  king,  but  he 
doesn't  concern  himself  with  the  whims  of  priests.  He  is 
willing  enough  to  furnish  fuel  for  the  Quemadero, 
but  he  does  not  use  the  power  of  the  realm  to  hunt 
up  and  bring  to  punishment  those  who  are  so  un 
fortunate  as  to  incur  the  displeasure  of  the  Holy  Office. 
He  makes  use  of  the  Inquisition  to  fill  his  treasure-box, 
but  does  not  do  its  work.  But  in  this  matter  the  King 
shows  as  much  interest  as  the  Holy  Office.  You  are  to 
be  brought  before  His  Majesty,  you  will  observe,  not  the 
Council  of  the  Inquisition.  I  cannot  understand  it." 


2o8  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

"  But  Torquemada "  I  began. 

"  O  yes,  I  understand  that  this  last  offense  makes 
Torquemada  your  enemy.  If  it  were  not  for  that  I 
should  advise  you  to  remain  here  until  we  could  get  at  the 
bottom  of  the  matter.  But  Torquemada  never  forgives 
and  never  forgets.  If  it  were  anything  else  we  might 
smooth  it  over,  but  an  assault  upon  the  Grand  Inquisitor, 
or  at  least  upon  the  Grand  Inquisitor's  mule,  is  the  rankest 
kind  of  heresy  !  " 

She  spoke  with  a  seriousness  that  almost  hid  the  sar 
casm  of  her  words.  Indeed,  it  may  be  doubted  if  they 
were  meant  to  be  sarcastic.  The  Inquisition  hath  such 
hold  upon  the  people  of  that  country  that  they  see  little 
difference  between  blasphemy  of  the  Holy  Ghost  and 
disrespect  to  the  Holy  Office. 

"Besides  that,"  she  continued,  thoughtfully,  "the 
Chevalier  Gonsalvo  de  Cordova  has  turned  against  you, 
which  shows  that  you  have  powerful  enemies  outside  the 
priests.  I  have  known  the  ways  of  the  court  almost  from 
babyhood.  Being  the  niece  of  the  chief  religious  dignitary 
of  the  realm,  I  have  had  abundant  chance  to  learn  the 
character  of  every  one  connected  with  public  affairs.  Of 
course,  I  withdrew  after  the  death  of  my  husband,  God 
rest  his  soul !  but  even  during  my  year  of  mourning  I 
easily  learned  whatever  I  wished  to  know,  for  my  uncle 
remains  so  fond  of  me  that  he  almost  as  often  makes  his 
home  at  the  Castle  de  Ullana  as  at  his  palace  in  the 
city." 

"  Suppose  he  should  take  it  into  his  head  to  come  here 
now  ? " 

"  I  wish  he  might,  but  unfortunately  he  is  absent  at 
Toledo,  so  that  I  cannot  consult  him  on  your  matter.  But 
as  I  said,  it  looks  serious  that  Gonsalvo  de  Cordova  should 
be  against  you  after  your  long  service  with  him,  and  the 
obligations  .every  one  knows  he  is  under  to  his  Adjutant 
of  Infantry.  He  is  the  especial  favorite  of  the  Queen  and 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA.  26$ 

reflects  always  the  sentiment  of  their  Majesties.  He  is 
not  untrue  nor  unjust  of  his  own  will,  but  their  Majesties' 
displeasure  would  make  him  throw  over  his  best  friend. 
From  this  I  fear  some  charge  against  your  loyalty  or  your 
honor  as  a  soldier.  Could  there  be  anything  serious  made 
out  of  your  connection  with  the  pretty  Morisco  ?  Who 
knew  of  your  interview  with  her  father?  " 

"  None,  save  the  Duke  of  Medina-Sidonia, "  I  replied. 

She  shook  her  head  decisively. 

"  He  would  not  have  betrayed  you  ;  besides,  I  happen 
to  know  that  he  is  as  much  puzzled  over  the  inquiry  for  you 
as  any  one.  He  was  even  interrogated  by  his  Majesty  him 
self  about  you,  and  had  to  confess  that  he  had  dismissed 
you  from  his  service.  What  have  you  done  to  make 
Ferdinand  of  Aragon  so  persistent  against  you?" 

"  I  cannot  imagine,"  I  replied. 

"  Nor  I.  He  is  not  given  to  the  indulgence  of  animos 
ities  and  rarely  concerns  himself  with  irrelevant  matters. 
What  interest  has  the  crown  of  Aragon  in  your  appre 
hension  ?  You  cannot  imagine  any  ?  Yet  you  may  be 
sure,  that  in  some  way  he  considers  you  dangerous  to 
the  realm,  and  that  makes  it  important  that  you  get  be 
yond  his  power,  for  awhile  at  least,  without  unnecessary 
delay.  The  King  is  not  the  best  sort  of  a  friend,  but  he 
is  an  enemy  it  is  better  to  avoid  than  to  oppose — at  least, 
in  his  own  dominion. " 

"  The  question  is  how  I  can  get  out  of  it  ?  "  I  suggested, 
with  a  shrug. 

"So  it  is,"  she  responded,  thoughtfully,  "so  it  is. 
There  is  one  way — if  there  were  any  chance  of  his  com 
ing  back — but  that  is  not  to  be  thought  of." 

"To  what  do  you  refer?"  I  asked,  attracted  by  her 
hesitation. 

"  You  have  heard  of  this  crazy  fellow  who  has  be 
witched  the  Queen  until  she  has  fitted  him  out  to  set  sail 
across  the  Ocean  Sea  in  hope  of  finding  a  new  way  to 


2io  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

Ind.  Her  Majesty  expects  to  measure  her  pearls  and 
diamonds  by  the  quart  when  he  returns." 

She  laughed  pleasantly  at  the  conceit. 

"  You  mean  Colon — Cristofero?  " 

"The  same.  Their  Majesties  have  made  a  bargain  with 
him  that  he  shall  be  Admiral  of  the  Western  Sea  ;  that  he 
and  his  heir  in  perpetual  succession  shall  be  Viceroy  of 
all  the  lands  he  may  discover,  and  have  one-tenth  of  all 
the  revenues  derived  therefrom  forever — all  conditioned  on 
two  things  :  first,  that  he  shall  discover  new  lands,  and 
second,  that  he  lives  to  get  back,  which  nobody  believes 
he  will,  except  a  few  as  crazy  as  he, — saving,  of  course, 
our  Sovereign  Lady,"  she  added,  cautiously. 

"And  is  he  really  going  ?  " 

"Aye,  if  he  can  get  men  enough  to  work  his  ships. 
That,  I  understand,  is  the  great  difficulty.  They  are  fitting 
out  a  fleet  at  Huelva,  but  nobody  cares  to  embark  in  such 
a  crazy  venture." 

"  But  it  is  not  a  crazy  venture." 

"That  is  what  Dona  Juana  de  la  Torre  says  ;  but  she  is 
just  as  infatuated  with  him  as  the  Queen.  The  ladies 
of  the  Court  vow  their  Majesties  were  induced  to  grant 
him  the  outfit  as  the  cheapest  way  to  get  rid  of  one  it  was 
impossible  to  discourage  and  who  was  always  threat 
ening  to  go  to  some  other  prince  with  his  dazzling 
offers. 

"  Did  you  ever  see  him  ?  " 

"Never.  From  what  they  say,  I  should  not  dare  look 
at  him  unless  my  ears  were  stopped  before  he  spake.  I 
am  told  he  is  an  old  man  with  white  hair  and  a  preter- 
naturally  young  face,  who  looks  as  innocent  as  St.  John 
of  Jerusalem  is  always  painted,  but  who,  if  he  once  opens 
his  lips  carries  all  before  him — all  the  women  and  priests, 
that  is.  I  can  understand  his  captivating  women — a  man 
whose  mouth  is  full  of  pearls  and  rubies  must  be  very 
hard  to  resist. " 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA.  1 1 1 

A  woman  who  is  young  and  beautiful  cannot  avoid  a 
certain  vivacity  even  in  her  most  serious  moments,  and 
as  she  said  this,  the  Dona  Guadita's  fan  went  up  to  her 
face  and  her  dark  eyes  sparkled  over  its  topmost  edge  with 
all  their  old  witchery. 

"  I  would  not  take  him  for  a  man  who  would  be  perilous 
to  women's  hearts, "  I  answered.  "  He  must  be  nigh  upon 
sixty." 

' '  Ah,  you  men  never  think  that  a  man  is  always  as  young 
as  he  feels,  and  this  Colon  evidently  feels  young  enough. 
At  an  age  when  others  are  preparing  for  death,  he  is  setting 
out  for  new  adventures.  It  is  said  that  one  noble  lady 
hath  so  fallen  beneath  his  sway  as  to  have  brought  dis 
grace  upon  her  family.  Perhaps,  though,  his  jewels  and 
his  titles  will  cure  that — when  he  gets  them  !  " 

"But  the  priests — surely  he  hath  not  made  love  to 
them  ? " 

"  O,  the  priests  !  They  drive  me  to  despair  !  Do  you 
know,  even  my  uncle  believes  in  him.  They  are  full  of 
mysterious  hints,  as  if  there  were  something  behind  what 
they  say.  I  cannot  imagine  what  it  is  ;  but  there  are 
two  persons  who  have  not  yielded  to  his  persuasions." 

"Who  are  they?" 

"His  Majesty,  King  Ferdinand,  and  Torquemada. " 

Again  she  broke  off  into  musical  laughter. 

"  I  do  not  know  what  the  King  says  of  him  ;  but  you 
should  hear  Torquemada  and  see  the  look  that  comes  over 
his  face  when  he  speaks  of  Cristoval  !  "  she  answered 
gayly.  "You  know  the  Inquisitor-General  thinks  nothing 
true  which  is  not  found  in  the  Bible  and  approved  by  the 
Church,  and  the  fact  that  the  Admiral,  that  is  to  be — though 
they  say  he  already  flaunts  the  title  and  has  made  him 
self  a  pennant  like  nothing  ever  seen  before  on  land  or 
sea — bases  his  hopes  on  a  passage  in  the  Apocryphal  book 
of  Esdras,  was  enough  to  stir  this  '  lion  of  the  faith  '  to  the 
very  bottom  of  his  fervent  nature.  He  is  a  saint  despite 


212  OUT  OF  THE  SUXSET  SEA. 

his  savageness,  and  thinks  himself  foreordained  to  save 
Holy  Church  from  destruction  through  the  weakness 
of  believers.  He  not  only  counts  this  exaltation  of  Esdras 
a  blow  at  the  Church  through  the  accepted  canon,  but  is 
in  his  heart  assured  that  the  white-haired  namesake  of  St. 
Christopher  has  dealings  with  the  wicked  one.  It  is  said 
hs  would  soon  stop  the  Admiral's  vaporings  if  he  were 
not  afraid  the  Queen  would  revoke  the  decree  against  the 
Jews  if  he  laid  hands  on  her  purveyor  of  pearls  and 
diamonds.  The  King  is  known  not  to  favor  the  project, 
so  the  venture  is  to  be  the  Queen's  own,  and  all  the  new 
realms  that  are  found  are  to  belong  to  the  kingdom  of 
Castile  and  Leon  without  any  interest  to  the  jointure  of 
Aragon. " 

"And  does  Cristofero  Colon  find  it  hard  to  get  men  to 
embark  in  this  enterprise  ?  " 

"Hard?  They  have  opened  the  doors  of  the  prisons, 
forgiven  debtors  their  debts  and  criminals  their  crimes 
— they  have  even  granted  to  a  Jew  exemption  from  the 
decree  of  exile — and  yet  they  cannot  get  enough  to  man 
three  little  ships.  But  why  call  you  him  Cristofero  ?  He 
is  called  Christobal  Colon  now  ;  though  when  he  first  came 
and  paid  court  to  Dona  Beatrix  Enriquez,  being  then  a 
married  man,  though  since  become  a  widower,  it  is  said, 
he  called  himself  Colono,  and  perhaps  Cristofero." 

Then  I  told  the  Dona  Guadita  about  Bartolomeo  Colon 
and  his  long  stay  at  my  father's  house,  and  showed  her 
the  scrap  of  parchment  he  had  given  me,  which  I  had 
kept  about  my  person,  as  one  will  sometimes  preserve 
the  veriest  trifles. 

"And  you  think  he  will  succeed?  "  she  cried,  with  that 
charming  inconsistency  which  enables  a  woman  to  shift 
her  faith  as  easily  as  the  wind  changes  direction  on  a 
summer  sea.  "You  believe  in  him  and  would  be  willing 
to  embark  with  him  ?  How  fortunate  !  You  shall  go  ! 
and  when  you  return  you  shall  bring  me  my  two  hands 


OUT  Of  THE  SUNSET  SEA.  213 

full  of  pearls  !  See  ?  Pish  !  If  they  were  only  larger, 
now  !  " 

She  stretched  forth  her  hands  held  cup-shape,  her  fan 
clattering  to  the  floor  as  she  did  so. 

"See?  As  full  as  they  will  hold  !  If  one  little  one  is 
lacking — look  you,  you  shall  not  kiss  my  little  finger ! 
Do  you  hear  ?  Not  even  if  you  have  been  gone  a  whole 
year  !  Shall  we  call  it  a  bargain  ?  " 

She  gave  me  her  hand  to  kiss  as  I  restored  the  fan. 

"Well,  you  shall  go  !  It  is  the  very  way  to  get  out 
of  your  trouble.  I  will  arrange  it !  And  while  you  are 
gone,  I  will  straighten  everything.  The  Court  leaves  for 
Toledo  in  a  day  or  two  and  I  must  hasten,  for  the  matter 
does  not  admit  of  delay.  I  must  go  to  the  city  this  very 
night." 

"  I  will  go  with  you." 

"You  will  remain  here  !  When  I  return  we  shall  know 
more."  She  rose  to  call  a  servant. 

"But "  I  said  interrupting  her,  "what  will  become 

of— of— 

"Ah,  yes,  I  know — the  little  Morisco — what  is  her 
name  ?  " 

"Carita." 

"  Ah,  certainly — Carita  " — with  an  arch  look — "  but  she 
must  have  some  other  name?" 

"  Carita  deZenete  ;  it  is  so  she  was  baptized.  You  will 
find  the  record  in  San  Marco." 

"So she  is  a  Christian  ?  I  half-thought  you  were  telling 
me  a  romaunt — is  not  that  what  they  call  a  pretty  made- 
up  story  ?  Is  she  really  your  kinswoman  ?  " 

' '  In  very  truth. " 

"And  you  expect  some  time  to — to  wed  her?  " 

"  Perhaps — if  God  will  to  keep  us  both." 

"  I  like  you  for  that,"  she  said,  heartily,  extending  her 
hand.  "You  are  a  true  man.  I  told  my  lord  that,  and 
he  did  confirm  it  often  in  the  letters  which  he  wrote. 


214 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 


When  he  sent  you  to  me  with  his  last  words,  ne  knew  of 
my  esteem  for  you,  and  perhaps  he  thought — well — no 
matter  what  he  thought.  Because  you  were  true  to  him, 
I  will  be  true  to  you.  Now  listen.  You  must  leave  Carita 
to  me,  for  your  matter  brooks  no  delay,  both  because  of 
your  danger  and  because  I  hear  the  expedition  is  soon  to 
sail.  I  will  arrange  for  your  departure,  and  then  will 
bring  the  maid,  Carita,  here,  and  together  we  will  pray  the 
Virgin  Mother  to  send  you  safe  return." 

I  knelt  and  kissed  her  hand  again  as  she  withdrew.      I 

saw  her  mount  and 
leave  the  court  a 
few  minutes  later, 
and  for  the  first 
time  since  I  had 
read  the  letter  of  the 
Chevalier  Gonsal- 
vo  felt  hopeful  of 
the  future.  I  stag 
gered  off  to  bed  and 
fell  asleep,  invok 
ing  the  saints  to 
bless  the  Dona  Gua- 
dita.  The  day  was 
far  advanced  when 
I  woke,  and  then  it  was  but  to  take  refreshments  and  fall 
to  sleep  again,  so  great  was  the  weariness  resulting 
from  my  long  ride. 

It  was  night  when  I  was  awakened  by  a  summons  to 
attend  the  Dona  Guadita,  and  followed  the  servant  to  a 
room,  where  she  sat  with  her  companion.  She  looked 
flushed  and  excited,  but  pressed  her  fan  to  her  lips,  and 
with  a  look  warned  me  not  to  speak  until  the  servant  had 
retired. 

"I  have  just  returned,"  she  then  said.  "  Here  it  is— 
the  order  for  your  enlistment — signed  by  the  Queen's 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 


215 


Treasurer,  who  has  charge  of  the  expedition.  You  are 
safe  now,  but  it  is  needful  that  you  make  haste,  for  the 
fleet  sails  in  three  days  or  in  four  or  five  at  farthest." 

She  handed  me  a  paper  as  she  spoke,  and  anxious  as  I 
was  to  show  my  gratitude,  I  could  only  ask  confusedly  : 

"How — how — did  you  get  it?" 

It  is  hard  for  a  man  to  thank  a  woman  for  so  great  a 
favor — I  esteemed  it  nothing  less  than  a  new  lease  of  life 
— when  the  woman  is  one  to  whom  he  cannot  offer  the  life 
she  has  saved.  Perhaps  I  ought  to  have  offered  it  to  her  ; 
she  certainly  had  a  better  claim  to  it  than  any  other  could 
have,  for  she  had  saved  it.  It  might  have  pleased  her  to 
have  had  me  done  so  even  if  she  could  not  accept,  and  I 
have  sometimes  thought  she  expected  as  much.  How 
ever  she  answered  with  a  sigh,  whether  of  weariness  or 
disappointment  at  my  stupidity,  I  know  not. 

"  O,  I  went  at  once  to  Dona  Juana  de  la  Torre,  the 
Prince's  nurse,  you  know,  to  whom  nothing  is  ever  denied 
that  can  possibly  be  granted,  and  told  her  I  had  a  friend 
— a  friend  of  my  lord's  that  is — who  was  a  great  believer 
in  her  Cristoval  Colon,  and  wanted  nothing  so  much  as  to 
sail  with  him.  That  he  was  an  Englishman  by  birth,  but 
had  lived  in  Spain  so  long  that  he  was  a  true  Spaniard  at 
heart,  and  nothing  would  please  me  so  much  as  that  he 
should  have  his  wish,  for  he  had  promised  me  a  cup  full 
of  pearls  on  his  return — and — and — well,  I  don't  think  I 
said  anything  more,  and  if  she  imagined  there  was  more 
that  might  be  said — I  am  sure  I  cannot  help  it,"  she 
added  demurely.  "  But  fancy  her  like  to  have  upset  all 
our  plans,  by  interposing  an  objection  I  had  never  thought 
of.  What  do  you  suppose  it  was  ?  " 

"You  would  never  guess, "  she  continued  with  a  laugh, 
"and  yet  it  nearly  took  my  breath  away,  for  I  saw  no 
way  around  it  for  a  moment.  Then  I  made  my  wits 
do  gallant  service,  and  if  they  overran  the  truth,  it  was 
all  her  fault  for  having  tempted  me.  At  the  worst,  I  did 


2 1 6  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSE  T  SEA. 

not  tell  a  lie,  but  only  what  I  did  not  know  to  be  true. 
She  was  overjoyed  to  hear  of  some  one  that  wanted  to  go 
with  the  Almirante,  as  she  calls  him,  never  doubting  that 
the  title  will  soon  be  his,  without  being  compelled  to  do 
so,  but  instantly  she  clasped  her  hands  in  despair  and  the 
blood  flew  back  to  my  heart  cold  as  ice,  for  I  thought  it 
must  be  the  ships  had  sailed. 

"  'O,  my  dear  Dona  Guadita,'  she  exclaimed,  '  why  did 
you  not  come  before  ?  Now,  it  is  too  late  !  There  is  no 
place  for  a  gentleman — your  friend  is  a  gentleman,  of 
course  ? '  '  The  son  of  a  great  hidalgo,'  I  answered.  '  So 
I  feared  ;  and  there  is  no  place — every  little  place  is  filled 
— there  are  only  sailors  needed  now.  O,  I  am  so  sorry 
you  did  not  come  before  ;  he  should  have  had  anything 
you  chose  to  ask.'" 

"What  did  you  say  to  that?  "  I  asked,  as  she  paused 
in  her  narrative. 

"  At  first,  I  did  not  know  what  to  say  ;  but  just  then  I 
saw  Gonsalvo  de  Cordova  riding  by,  and  I  thought  it  was 
your  life  that  was  at  stake,  and  if  you  did  not  choose  to 
go  you  could  remain.  At  least  the  leave  to  go  could  do 
no  harm.  So  I  said,  as  lightly  as  if  it  were  the  least  thing 
in  the  world:  'A  fig  for  the  place,  dear  Donajuana.  My 
gentleman  is  not  one  that  goes  into  the  adventure  on  a 
beggar's  conditions,  nor  to  avoid  those  whose  money  he 
hath  eaten,  but  for  love  of  adventure  and  belief  in  the  brave 
Admiral.  If  there  be  no  place,  trust  him  to  make  one  for 
himself,  and  be  in  no  man's  way  when  a  strong  arm  and 
a  stout  heart  is  wanted.  Besides,  he  hath  studied  naviga 
tion  and  is  one  whom  the  Admiral  could  trust  to  stand 
by  him  to  the  uttermost." 

"  '  Would  God  the  Admiral  had  more  such  about  him  ! ' 
the  good  Dona  Juana  said,  in  a  tone  that  told  how  she 
worships  the  very  plank  of  the  ship's  poop  on  which  he 
stands.  Then  she  hurried  off  to  the  Queen  and  returned 
with  your  safe-conduct  from  the  chief  of  Alguazils  and  the 
order  for  your  recruitment  from  the  Lord  Treasurer." 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA.  217 

"How  can  I  thank  you,  dear  Dona  Guadita  ? "  I  asked 
in  confusion. 

"Well,"  she  answered  archly,  "you  may  kiss  me 
once — just  once  before  you  go — may  he  not,  Dona 
Cerezo  ?  "  to  her  companion,  "But  you  must  leave  to 
night.  I  dare  not  have  you  wait  until  morning  lest  it  be 
too  late." 

"But — Carita?"  I  asked,  ungraciously  enough. 

A  frown  passed  over  the  Dona  Guadita's  face. 

"Can  you  not  trust  me?  To-morrow  I  will  look  out 
for  her;  I  had  not  time  to-day.  But  I  have  news  of  her, 
though  not  from  her.  I  met  by  chance  the  Queen's  Con 
fessor,  who  is  the  same  Fray  Francisco  Ximenes  who 
journeyed  from  Malaga  with  us.  You  remember  I  gave 
you  a  hint  of  what  might  be  then,  and  am  glad  you  fol 
lowed  my  advice.  You  have  a  friend  in  him.  He  spoke 
of  you  at  once  and  told  me  of  your  kinswoman,  who,  after 
your  departure,  went  to  San  Juan  de  los  Reyes  at  Toledo 
to  confess  to  him.  It  seems  he  was  her  mother's  con 
fessor,  before  he  became  a  monk,  and  he  is  much  interested 
in  her.  He  was  anxious  to  know  if  I  could  tell  him  what 
the  Capitan  del  Porro  had  done  that  the  realm  was  so 
stirred  up  about  him  and  seemed  greatly  troubled  in  your 
behalf.  I  thought  at  first  that  I  would  tell  him  all,  but  as  I 
saw  he  knew  nothing  of  your  present  name,"  I  was  afraid 
to  do  so.  He  is  one  of  those  people  who  have  a  con 
science  and  such  it  is  not  always  wise  to  trust,  for  one 
never  knows  which  way  their  consciences  may  lead  them. 
However,  he's  your  friend  and  I  should  judge,  a  good  one 
to  have  at  a  pinch." 

"  If  you  keep  on,  I  think  I  shall  soon  have  more  friends 
than  enemies,"  I  said  with  feeling. 

"That  is  better,"  she  exclaimed,  approvingly,  "a 
woman  liketh  a  man  to  have  his  tongue  at  command,  even 
when  she  knows  his  words  do  not  mean  as  much  as  his 
silence.  But  I  have  more  news  for  you.  I  saw  the  Chev- 


218  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

alier  de  Cordova,  and  as  soon  as  he  could  get  a  chance  for 
a  word  he  said  :  '  I  think  your  lord  was  a  friend  of  my 
Adjutant  of  Infantry  ; '  and  then  without  waiting  for  reply, 
he  went  on  :  '  Do  you  know  anything  about  his  origin  or 
family  or  why  in  the  devil's  name  they  are  raising  such  a 
row  about  him  ?  I  have  ordered  him  under  arrest  and  am 
going  to  keep  him  a  prisoner  in  my  palace  until  the  thing 
blows  over  or  I  can  get  him  out  of  the  country.  I  have 
ordered  the  most  reckless  man  in  Spain  to  bring  him  in, 
and  expect  him  to-night  or  to-morrow  at  the  farthest. 
What  message  shall  I  give  him  for  you,  Dona  Guadita  ? ' ' 

"And  what  did  you  tell  him?  "  I  asked. 

"I  told  him,"  she  answered,  saucily,  "he  might  give 
his  prisoner  my  best  love.  '  Your  very  best,  Dona  Gua 
dita  ? '  he  asked,  in  affected  surprise.  '  The  very  best  I 
have  to  give,  Don  Gonsalvo/  I  answered:  'did  not  my 
dear  lord  abjure  me  with  his  latest  breath  to  count  him 
ever  as  a  brother  ?  God  judge  me  if  I  ever  forget  it. ' ' 

"What  answer  did  he  make  to  that?"  asked  Dona 
Cerezo,  with  enthusiasm. 

' '  At  that, "  said  Dona  Guadita,  with  a  blush,  ' '  he  bowed 
low,  with  his  hand  on  his  heart,  and  said  :  '  I  am  glad, 
Dona  Guadita,  to  have  the  honor  of  being  your  country 
man."' 

"  And  well  he  might,"  I  rejoined. 

"Yet  even  then  I  was  deceiving  him,"  she  continued, 
thoughtfully.  "  But  I  did  not  forget  that  something  was 
to  be  done  as  well  as  said.  I  knew  it  would  not  do  for 
you  to  seek  enlistment  in  such  clothes  as  you  now  wear, 
so  I  bought  a  modest  Andalusian  costume,  which  you 
can  wear  over  your  chain  corselet  and  be  one  of  the 
people.  You  will  find  it  in  your  chamber.  Now,  I  have 
ordered  supper  and  after  that,  your  horse  with  a  trusty 
servant,  will  be  at  the  gate.  Go  at  once  to  Palos 
and  if  you  make  yourself  known  to  the  Admiral  I 
doubt  not — but  there,  I  will  not  say  it,  I  do  not  trust  him, 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 


219 


and  if  you  follow  my  advice,  you  will  say  nothing  you 
do  not  care  to  have  known,  until  you  are  out  of  sight  of 
land." 

"  If  ever  I  can  do  aught  to  show  my  gratitude,  dear 
Dona  Guadita "  I  began. 

"Hush  Senor,"  she  said,  solemnly.  "I  am  only  pay 
ing  my  debt  and  the  debt  of  the  dead.  Have  no  fear  for 
thy  kinswoman  :  I  will  care  for  her.  Kiss  me  now, — we 
may  never  meet  again." 

She  offered  me  her  cheek  in  the  Spanish  fashion  ;  but  I 
took  her  in  my  arms  and  kissed  eyes  and  lips  and  checks 
as  I  strained  her  to  my  breast,  my  own  tears  mingling 
with  hers  upon  the  pale  upturned  face.  Her  companion 
turned  away,  but  I  think  it  was  only  to  weep.  This  much 
I  know,  the  noble  lady's  own  dear  lord,  the  brave  de 
Ullana  himself,  might  have  looked  down  on  that  embrace 
with  approval.  All  my  life  long,  I  shall  be  grateful  that 
I  knew  the  Dona  Guadita.  The  Spaniards  say  that  women 
are  either  saints  or  devils.  The  Dona  Guadita  de  Ullana 
was  too  human  for  a  saint,  but  would  have  put  more  devils 
to  flight  with  one  glance  of  her  eye,  than  all  the  saints  in 
the  category  by  their  prayers. 

She  wiped  away  her  tears,  took  my  arm,  and  we  went 
down  to  the  refectory,  where  supper  awaited.  When  I 
rode  out  of  the  gate  of  the  Castle  de  Ullana  some  hours 
later,  just  as  the  moon  rose,  I  saw  her  face  at  the  case 
ment. 

I  wrote  a  letter  to  the  monk  Francisco  Ximenes, 
to  be  delivered,  when  sufficient  time  had  elapsed  after 
my  departure,  along  with  the  Son  of  Achmct,  which 
I  asked  him  to  keep  until  my  return,  well  knowing 
that  his  asceticism  would  not  allow  him  to  indulge  in 
such  luxury  as  the  ownership  of  such  a  horse.  In  this 
letter  I  told  him  of  Xarifa,  and  begged  him  to  protect 
her  should  she  at  any  time  require  the  aid  of  a  friend. 
I  wrote  also  to  Xarifa  and  told  her,  if  I  should  never  re- 


220  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

turn,  to  do  as  the  Confessor,  who  was  likely  soon  to  be  a 
Cardinal,  might  advise.  These  letters  I  left  for  Dona 
Guadita  to  transmit,  so  that  when  three  days  afterwards 
I  reported,  with  my  order  of  enlistment,  to  Rodrigo  San 
chez,  the  Inspector  of  the  expedition,  albeit  somewhat 
fearful,  there  was  little  chance  that  any  one  would  dis 
cover  in  the  sturdy  Andalusian  lad,  the  Adjutant  of  In 
fantry,  or  question  whether  the  bundle  around  which  his 
red  blanquilla  was  wrapped,  contained  a  Milan  corselet, 
a  basinet  and  a  Toledo  blade,  or  only  a  sailor's  silly 
trumpery.  They  were  too  anxious  for  men  to  ask  need 
less  questions,  for  though  the  Pinta  and  the  Nina  had 
their  full  quotas,  who  had  shipped  from  the  country  round 
about,  with  their  old  neighbors  and  trusty  seamen,  the 
Pinzons,  the  Admiral's  ship  was  still  so  short-handed  that 
he  dare  not  hoist  sail  ;  and  every  day  the  list  of  deserters 
grew  almost  as  fast  as  the  tale  of  enlistment.  A  man  who 
looked  as  if  he  could  pull  a  rope  when  ordered  and  have 
breath  enough  left  to  do  some  cursing  of  his  own  accord 
when  the  wind  blew  from  the  wrong  quarter,  was  very 
welcome  on  the  Santa  Maria. 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA.  22 1 


OUR  course  was  laid  south  by  west  for  the  Grand  Cana 
ries,  five  hundred  miles  away.  This  was  to  be  the  last 
point  of  the  known  world  at  which  we  were  to  touch. 
Thence,  we  were  to  plunge  into  the  unknown  void  which 
stretched  toward  the  West — the  unmeasured,  unguessed 
expanse  of  the  Sunset  Sea  ! 

It  brings  a  strange  thrill,  even  to  one  who  has  no 
special  sense  of  fear,  to  set  out  on  a  waste  of  water,  not 
only  unable  himself  to  tell  where  he  is  going,  but  know 
ing  also  that  no  living  man  knows  the  way  ;  what  perils 
of  wind  and  wave  may  be  encountered  ;  where  the  land 
fall  will  be  ;  what  adventures  may  await  on  unknown 
shores  ;  or  when  and  how  he  may  return,  if,  indeed,  re 
turn  be  possible.  I  could  not  wonder  at  the  terror  my 
companions  experienced,  though,  for  myself,  I  felt  a 
strange  sense  of  exhilaration  from  the  very  moment  our 
sails  filled  and  we  had  green  water  under  our  keels  and  a 
fair  seaway  before  our  prows.  I  think  the  love  of  the 
sea  is  inborn.  All  day  long  the  waves,  as  they  raced 
boisterous  and  rollicking  down  upon  our  starboard  quarter, 
dashing  in  seething  bubbles  against  the  sides,  lifting  the 
old  hulk  along  and  laughing  in  riotous  glee  at  the  leeway 
she  made  as  they  swept  by,  seemed  charged  with  pleas 
ant  messages  from  the  green  shores  of  Severn.  The 


222  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

Pinta  and  the  Nina  easily  outfooted  us,  and  the  Admiral 
was  constantly  signaling  them  to  take  in  sail  and  keep 
under  his  lee,  as  if  even  then  he  feared  they  might  steal 
off  and  find  the  Golden  Chersonesus  before  he  could  come 
up  with  them.  The  weather  grew  thick  after  a  day  or 
two,  and  the  wind  hauled  into  the  west  and  blew  as  if 
the  spirits  of  the  unknown  deep  were  aroused  and  meant 
to  cast  us  on  the  coast  of  Africa  for  having  dared  attempt 
to  uncover  the  mysteries  of  the  Western  world.  Then  it 
was  that  we  first  got  a  taste  of  the  true  quality  of  the 
Admiral.  The  man  who  had  seemed  absent  and  dreamy, 
gazing  off  to  the  westward  and  taking  little  note  of  those 
about  him  while  the  ship  kept  her  course  without  special 
care,  no  sooner  heard  the  wind  howling  through  the 
rigging  and  felt  the  seas  dash  madly  against  her  bows, 
than  he  became  transformed  into  a  very  king  of  the 
storm.  Never  have  I  seen  one  who  so  loved  a  sloping 
deck  or  heeded  so  little  the  perils  of  the  tempest.  In 
pleasant  weather  he  kept  close  in  his  cabin  or  paced  the 
poop  silent  and  absorbed  or  flushed  with  unspoken  dreams. 
Then  he  pored  over  his  charts,  wrote  for  hours  in  his 
journal,  and  spent  other  hours  at  his  devotions.  When  a 
storm  came  he  was  everywhere  :  his  voice  rang  out  above 
the  turmoil ;  he  directed,  encouraged,  compelled ;  and 
was  never  at  a  moment's  loss  to  know  the  best  thing  to 
be  done  or  the  best  way  to  do  it.  He  seemed  to  have  no 
more  fear  of  wind  or  wave  than  the  gulls  which  tossed  so 
easily  about  in  the  very  teeth  of  the  storm.  At  such 
times,  he  had  the  strength  of  a  giant  and  his  face  shone 
with  the  wild  light  I  had  seen  upon  it  when  he  swung 
the  huge  two-handed  blade  upon  the  hill  of  Baza,  while 
his  white  hair  tossed  unconfined  upon  the  wind,  for  like 
most  Italian  sailors  he  did  not  like  to  wear  any  head 
gear  in  a  gale. 

When  the  Pinta's  rudder  broke  away,  leaving  her  help 
less  before  the  wind,  nothing   would  serve  but  he   must 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA.  223 

go  aboard  of  her,  though  the  sea  was  a  perfect  smother 
through  which  we  could  hardly  see  the  little  cockle-shell 
as  it  tossed  up  and  down  on  our  larboard  quarter.  Martin 
Alonzo  Pinzon  was  as  brave  and  capable  a  mariner  as 
any  that  sailed  from  a  Spanish  port,  besides  having  a 
greater  pecuniary  interest  in  the  voyage  than  any  other. 
Yet  at  once  the  Admiral  seemed  to  lose  all  confidence  in 
his  Captain  and  insisted  that  the  accident  was  a  trick  to 
enable  Pinzon  to  return  to  Spain.  He  called  for  volun 
teers  to  man  the  long-boat,  and  such  was  the  influence 
of  his  example  that  men  even  rose  out  of  the  lassitude  of 
sea-sickness  to  go  with  him  on  this  wild  venture.  Order 
ing  me  into  the  bow  he  took  the  steering  oar  himself. 
When  we  reached  the  Pinta,  he  scrambled  on  board,  leav 
ing  us  to  drag  by  a  line,  which  was  dangerous  enough, 
considering  the  sea  and  the  way  the  caravel  pitched  and 
swung  before  the  wind.  He  brought  her  head  to  with  a 
drag  anchor  and  then  must  needs  go  over  the  side  to  see 
what  had  loosed  the  rudder.  In  fact,  there  was  nothing 
the  matter  save  that  the  Pinta  was  not  made  for  a  rud 
der,  though  one  had  been  lashed  in  place  just  to  satisfy 
the  Admiral's  notions,  her  Captain  and  owners  protesting 
against  it,  because  it  dragged  her  down  too  much  by  the 
stern,  and  was  likely  to  come  loose  by  wearing  off  the 
cables,  which  had  indeed  proved  to  be  true. 

We  got  back  on  the  Santa  Maria  without  serious  mishap 
and  even  hoisted  the  boat  aboard,  which  is  still 
more  wonderful,  but  I  doubt  if  any  other  man  could  have 
made  the  trip  in  safety.  He  had  the  quickest  eye  and 
truest  hand  that  ever  watched  a  swell  or  held  a  steering 
oar.  I  have  no  doubt  the  drag-anchors  which  he  showed 
us  how  to  make,  saved  all  the  fleet  ;  though  we  beat  about 
before  the  wind  for  many  days,  so  that  it  was  three  weeks 
after  we  sailed  before  we  made  an  offing  at  the  Canaries. 
The  crews  were  sadly  weather-worn  by  the  storm,  and  it 
is  not  strange  that  those  who  contemplated  the  fact  that 


424  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

the  five  hundred  miles  of  well-known  sea  which  we  had 
passed  had  consumed  twenty  days  and  more  of  incon 
ceivable  toil  and  hardship,  should  have  their  previous 
doubts  confirmed,  and  shrink  from  a  voyage  of  two 
thousand  miles — for  that  was  the  very  least  it  was 
reckoned  to  be — over  an  unknown  sea.  Accepting  the 
Admiral's  own  estimate,  they  said,  the  voyage  promised 
to  be  one  of  five  or  six  months'  duration  at  the  least ; 
and  they  declared  it  was  impossible  for  the  ships  to 
carry  food  and  water  for  the  crews,  even  short-handed 
as  they  were,  for  that  time.  Had  it  not  been  for  the 
confidence  in  the  Admiral  which  his  skill  and  conduct 
during  this  terrible  storm  begat,  I  am  satisfied  the  crews 
would  never  have  allowed  him  to  proceed  farther  upon  a 
voyage  filled  with  such  dangers  as  we  guessed  and  such 
wonders  as  we  met  before  our  eyes  were  again  gladdened 
by  the  sight  of  land. 

Another  incident  which  tended  greatly  to  strengthen  the 
general  belief  in  the  Admiral's  knowledge  of  the  seas 
as  well  as  his  wonderful  readiness  and  self-command  in 
the  presence  of  the  unexpected,  occurred  on  the  very 
night  we  made  the  harbor  of  Palmas  on  the  Grand  Canary. 
It  was  about  the  middle  of  the  second  watch,  when  all 
except  those  required  to  navigate  the  ship  were  sleeping 
soundly  after  the  buffetings  of  the  long  tempest,  that  all 
at  once,  great  confusion  arose  on  deck.  There  were  cries 
of  alarm,  shouts  for  the  Admiral,  prayers  and  moans  in 
termingled  with  threats  and  curses.  Hurrying  on  deck 
with  the  other  frightened  sailors  from  the  waist,  I  beheld 
a  sight  never  to  be  forgotten.  The  sky  was  of  pitchy 
blackness.  The  hot  African  leste  blew  steadily  from  the 
east.  There  was  only  a  ripple  on  the  sea,  as  we  knew  by 
the  lap  of  the  black  waters  against  the  sides  of  the  ship 
as  it  sped  hissing  through  them  on  an  even  keel.  The 
rigging  creaked  and  moaned  in  the  dry,  hot  breeze. 
Almost  dead  ahead  against  the  inky  western  sky,  was  a 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA.  225 

river  of  flame  bursting  out  of  the  dense  murk  and  running 
down  to  the  sea.  Its  glare  lit  up  the  rippling  waves  until 
they  seemed  a  river  of  blood.  Off  the  larboard  bow  the 
Pinta  and  Nina  were  making  signals  with  their  lanterns. 
The  deck  was  covered  with  kneeling  figures  mumbling 
prayers.  All  was  confusion.  With  or  without  order,  some 
had  clambered  up  the  rigging  and  were  taking  in  the  great 
bonnet-sail  upon  the  foremast.  The  Admiral  came  out  of 
his  cabin.  I  saw  the  glare  of  the  mysterious  light  fall  on 
his  face.  Not  a  muscle  moved  to  show  surprise. 

"Peace  !  "  he  commanded,  lifting  up  his  hand.  "  Let 
all  sail  be  set  !  Would  you  lose  a  favoring  breeze  after 
such  head-winds  as  we  have  had  ?  " 

Every  one  looked  at  him  in  amaze,  the  master,  Juan  de 
la  Cosa,  who  was  one  of  the  greatest  pilots  of  that  day, 
among  the  rest  seemed  stupefied  at  his  words.  Not  a 
hand  was  lifted  to  obey  his  order,  but  all  waited  dumbly 
for  what  would  come  next. 

Stepping  back  to  the  helmsman,  the  Admiral  asked  : 

"What  course  hast  thou?  " 

"  West  by  north,  one-half  west,"  came  the  answer. 

"Make  it  then  due  west,"  said  the  Admiral,  "and  we 
shall  come  to  anchor  before  the  day  is  three  hours  old  in 
as  fair  a  roadstead  as  any  man  hath  seen." 

At  this  a  shout  went  up,  and  our  monk  who  had  lost  his 
frock  before  he  sailed,  but  had  taken  on  a  fresh  supply  of 
piety  with  every  day  of  the  great  storm,  began  to  intone 
the  Salve  Regina  in  which  all  joined  with  great  fervor  and 
gladness.  The  other  ships  having  slackened  sail,  were  by 
this  time  within  hail,  and  theii  Captains,  who  were  likewise 
much  troubled,  asked  for  orders  : 

"Steer  due  west  !  "  called  out  the  Admiral,  "and  look 
out  that  you  do  not  run  upon  the  Gran  Canaries  before 
sunrise  !  " 

They  then  answered  also  with  a  shout,  and  the  Admiral 
calling  all  hands  about  the  companion-way  said  : 


226  OUT  OF  T1JE  HUA/SET  !>£A, 

"  That  which  you  see  yonder  no  man  living  hath  seen 
before.  It  is  a  beacon  which  the  Blessed  Virgin  and  holy 
St.  Christopher  have  set  in  the  sky  to  prevent  our  running 
past  the  Grand  Canary  in  the  darkness,  as  we  might 
otherwise  have  done,  to  our  great  loss  and  inconven 
ience  ;  for  there  we  must  land  to  repair  our  ships  and  take 
in  supplies  for  the  westward  voyage  before  us. " 

"  But  what  is  it  ?  "  asked  Juan  de  la  Cosa. 

"  That  is  the  burning  mountain  on  the  Island  of  Teneriffe. 
It  hath  not  cast  out  fire  before  this  within  the  memory  of 
man,  as  I  well  know,  having  climbed  to  the  very  summit  ; 
besides,  that  is  the  tradition  among  the  Guanches  whose 
dead  are  buried  in  the  caves  upon  its  sides." 

' '  And  the  harbor  of  Palmas  ?  " 

"  Is  on  the  Grand  Canary,  fifty  miles  or  thereabout,  to 
the  southward  of  the  burning  mountain." 

"And  you  were  able,  Master,"  said  the  Pilot  with 
admiration  in  his  tones,  ' '  to  lay  our  course  thither  with  ex 
actness  after  all  the  bufferings  we  have  passed  through  ?  " 

"Nay,  nay,  my  good  Pilot,  I  did  make  a  mistake  of  half 
a  point,  which  might  have  run  us  on  the  rocks  of  Grand 
Canary  had  not  God  and  His  blessed  saints  hung  yon 
beacon  in  the  sky  to  teach  us  that  He  has  us  in  His  care 
and  smiles  on  our  undertaking. " 

His  words  sank  deeply  into  the  hearts  of  the  crew,  who 
hung  over  the  bulwarks  watching  the  dread  spectacle  and 
listening  to  the  waves  that  lapped  the  ship's  sides  as  she 
sped  softly  along  through  the  murk  night,  impelled  by  the 
hot  wind  that  blew  off  the  Great  African  desert,  and  when 
a  little  after  sunrise  we  let  go  our  anchors  in  the  harbor 
of  Palmas  there  were  few  who  did  not  look  upon  the 
Admiral,  not  only  as  a  navigator  of  wonderful  skill  and  a 
sailor  of  marvelous  resource,  but  as  one  under  Divine 
guidance  and  protection. 

The  Pinta  and  the  Nina  remained  here  to  refit,  because 
there  were  better  opportunities  to  careen  and  recaulk 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA.  22  J 

them  than  in  any  of  the  other  islands,  while  the  Santa 
Maria  went  on  to  Gomera,  where,  the  Admiral  said,  sup 
plies  were  cheaper  and  more  abundant  and  the  water 
better.  Hardly  had  we  left  the  harbor  of  Las  Palmas  when 
I  was  summoned  to  the  cabin  of  the  Captain-General,  for 
such  was  his  true  title  until  he  should  discover  new  lands. 

"  Thinkest  thou  thy  school  a  hard  one  in  which  little  is 
taught  and  much  required  ?  "  he  asked  with  that  smile  with 
which  he  won  those  he  would  conciliate,  so  easily  to  his 
own  views. 

"I  count  it  a  brave  school  with  a  noble  master,"! 
answered  with  sincere  reverence  ;  for  his  demeanor  during 
the  voyage,  together  with  my  remembrance  of  what  the 
loyal  Bartolomeo  had  said,  had  quite  banished  the  flavor 
of  suspicion  aroused  in  our  first  interview. 

"Thou  art  right, "  was  the  grave  reply.  "The  art  of 
navigation  cannot  be  learned  from  books.  The  sky,  the 
wind,  the  waves  are  the  volumes  one  must  study  ;  and, 
above  all,  his  ships.  No  man  is  fit  to  command  a  ship 
until  he  knows  every  plank  and  girder  in  her  hull,  every 
spar  and  rope  in  her  rigging,  and  is  able  to  do  everything 
he  requires  his  men  to  do,  better  than  they.  There  is 
nothing  like  rough  weather  to  teach  these  things.  Then 
every  puff  of  wind  and  every  pitch  of  the  laboring  craft  is 
a  lesson  so  stamped  on  the  mind  by  danger,  as  never  to 
be  forgotten.  I  have  had  my  eye  upon  thee,  lad  ;  thou 
art  older  than  thy  years,  and  hast  had  good  schooling 
before  you  shipped  with  me.  Thou  hast  a  stout  arm,  a 
brave  heart,  and  a  quick  eye,  which  be  three  parts  of  a 
good  navigator.  Knowest  thou  the  other  two  ?  " 

"A  knowledge  of  the  sea  will  be  one,  I  doubt  not." 

"Nay,  that  cometh  by  experience;  trust  in  God  and 
a  readiness  to  learn  what  His  works  do  teach,  be  the 
other  two.  The  navigator  goeth  always  in  the  dark, 
knowing  little  and  trusting  much.  When  he  hath  done 
the  best  he  knoweth,  he  must  for  the  rest  abide  without 


>28  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  S&A. 

question  or  doubt.  The  sea  be  the  place  to  do  stout 
things,  not  to  solve  hard  problems.  Thou  art  a  soldier, 
methinks  thou  saidst  ?  " 

"I  was,  your  Excellency  ;  I  am  a  sailor  now." 

"The  first  lesson  of  both  callings  is  the  same — to  obey 
without  question.  Thinkest  thou  thou  hast  learned  it?  " 

"  By  that  I  won  the  right  to  command." 

"  Thou  hast  held  command,  then?"  he  asked  with  a 
sudden  show  of  reserve.  ' '  What  was  it  ?  " 

"Knowest  thou  him  who  came  to  thy  aid  when  the 
Moors  were  pressing  thce  somewhat  too  close,  at  the 
fountain  in  the  orchard  of  Baza  ?  " 

"Aye,  Gonsalvo  de  Cordova's  Adjutant  of  Infantry, 
with  a  dozen  stout  ones  at  his  back.  Served  you  under 
him  ?  " 

"I  am  he." 

"Thou  art!"  he  exclaimed  in  surprise,  eyeing  me 
keenly.  "  But  now  I  remember  thou  hast  his  build.  An' 
I  had  known  that,  thou  hadst  had  charge  of  a  watch 
rather  than  have  served  in  it. " 

"  It  is  better  so,  your  Excellency,  if  thou  wilt  pardon 
me  ;  it  had  not  been  wise  to  give  a  stranger  command 
under  thee. " 

"  Perhaps  thou  art  right, '' he  answered.  "The  Span 
iard  looketh  not  with  favor  upon  the  people  of  another 
land.  What  is  thy  desire  ?  " 

"To  become  a  navigator  and  discoverer  such  as  thou." 

"That  cannot  be.  A  navigator  thou  mayst  indeed  be 
come,  and  I  trust  a  good  one,  but  not  like  me  ;  for 
though  I  have  yet  discovered  naught,  when  I  shall 
have  shown  the  way  to  Ind,  there  will  be  no  more  room 
for  discovery.  Thou  believest  I  shall  succeed?  " 

"I  believe  thou  wilt  find  new  lands  and  return  to  con 
found  your  enemies." 

"God  send  your  trust  be  not  vain,"  he  answered, 
crossing  his  breast  and  bowing  his  head,  while  his  lips 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 


229 


moved  in  prayer.      Looking1  up  after  a  moment,  he  asked, 
"  Hast  thou  any  arms  ?  " 

"Such  as  thou  hast  seen   before,"  I  answered,  mean 
ingly. 

' '  They  will  suffice.  Now  look  you  ;  we  must  wood 
and  water  and  take  on  supplies  of  all  that  can  be  gotten 
at  Gomera.  The  people  of  that  island  like  not  strangers. 
I  have  lived  among  them  and  must  go  on  shore  to  buy. 
Juan  de  la  Cosa  will  command  the  ship  in  my  absence. 
Diego  de  Arana  will  have  charge  of  the  parties  that  go 


ashore  for  supplies.  They  will  not  be  armed.  Canst 
thou  pick  out  half  a  dozen  stout  fellows,  to  guard  them 
while  at  work,  see  that  they  are  not  disturbed  and  that — 
that  none  forget  to  return  />  " 

The  Admiral  uttered  the  last  words  with  a  droll  em 
phasis  which  told  better  than  words  could,  his  well- 
grounded  apprehension  that  the  men  might  desert.  His 
face  gave  no  response  to  my  chuckle  of  appreciation, 
however,  and  he  added  in  the  most  deliberate  tones  : 

"The  boats  will  be  left  ashore  each  night.  Thou  wilt 
take  charge  of  the  oars  and  see  that  no  one  taketh  the 
boats  from  thee  under  any  pretense.  ' 


230  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

It  was  evident  that  he  trusted  not  even  the  Chief 
Alguazil,  and,  indeed,  with  good  reason,  as  the  fate  of  La 
Navidad  thereafter  proved. 

Thereupon  I  chose  Irish  Bill,  a  Galway  lad  to  whom  I 
had  been  drawn  by  the  fact  that  he  spake  the  English 
tongue  after  a  fashion  and  Spanish  in  like  manner,  though 
much  less  readily.  His  father  like  mine  had  followed 
King  Henry  from  Milford  Haven  to  Bosworth,  and  he  had 
been  drawn  to  Spain  by  the  hope  of  adventure  in  the 
Holy  War  as  well  as  I.  Despite  his  good  nature  and 
ready  wit,  he  had  stumbled  from  one  mischance  into 
another  among  the  solemn-faced  Castilians,  until  he  desired 
nothing  in  the  world  so  much  as  that  he  might  never  see 
the  shores  of  Spain  again.  I  chose  also  three  others  whom 
I  judged  to  be  the  staunchest  of  the  crew,  including  the 
unfrocked  priest  whom  we  called  Mentiroso.  So  well  was 
our  duty  performed  that  when  ten  days  afterwards  we 
weighed  anchor,  not  one  of  our  men  was  missing  and  the 
ship  was  abundantly  supplied. 


V'J  .  _  .-L~—. — =>.  ^rrf^tUHSn 


CHAPTER  XX 


IT  was  with  strange  sensations,  such  as  no  man  will 
ever  know  again,  that  we  prepared  to  leave  the  pleasant 
roadstead  at  Gomera.  We  felt  that  we  were  bidding  adieu 
to  all  the  KNOWN  WORLD.  Where  were  we  going? 
What  should  we  find  ?  Should  we  ever  return  ?  Would 
the  world  know  what  might  befall  us  ? 

These  were  awful  questions  ;  faces  blanched  and  long- 
drawn  sighs  burst  from  manly  breasts  as  we  asked  them, 
not  of  each  other,  but  each  of  himself.  Few  words  were 
spoken,  and  there  was  none  of  that  tempest  of  curses  and 
prayers  which  had  characterized  our  last  night  at  Huelva. 
Partly,  this  was  due  to  the  fact  that  a  month's  experience 
of  wind  and  storm  had  made  sailors  out  of  many  who 
had  hardly  smelled  salt  water  before,  and  partly  because 
our  confidence  in  the  Admiral's  skill  and  courage  as  a 
sailor  and  knowledge  as  a  navigator  had  increased  many 
hundred-fold.  I  doubt  if  many  believed  the  golden  proph 
ecies  which  filled  the  speech  he  made  to  us  just  before 

231 


232  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

we  weighed  anchor.  There  was  something  so  incredible 
in  the  magnificence  of  his  words  as  he  walked  back  and 
forth  upon  the  poop  of  the  lubberly  ship,  the  two  caravels 
a  cable's  length  away,  himself  clad  in  the  scarlet  robe  he 
wore  on  great  occasions,  as  if  he  were  already  Viceroy 
of  the  Indies,  with  subjects  unnumbered  and  tribute  in 
calculable,  that  by  its  very  extravagance  provoked  doubt 
and  discouragement  rather  than  confidence  and  hope. 

The  soft  east  wind  lifted  his  long  white  hair,  his  cheeks 
flushed,  his  eyes  had  a  far-away  look  as  if  they  consumed 
the  leagues  that  lay  between  and  beheld  the  very  won 
ders  he  described.  I  think  he  forgot  the  crews  who  were 
gathered  on  the  deck  as  he  paced  back  and  forth  upon  the 
narrow  poop  and  told  in  words  no  memory  could  recall, 
of  wonders  none  who  heard  could  ever  forget.  Seven 
hundred  leagues  to  the  westward,  he  declared,  we  would 
find  land  !  Not  only  land,  but  Cathay  !  The  land  of  Mar 
vels  and  Miracles  !  Gomera  with  its  sweet  waters,  its 
bosky  dells,  iis  soft  breezes  was  but  an  antepast  of  the 
delights  of  that  wondrous  land  !  The  water  of  Gomera 
was  the  sweetest  in  all  the  known  world — so  sweet  that  it 
would  not  grow  rank  or  bitter  in  our  casks — but  its  purity 
and  sweetness  were  as  nothing  to  that  of  fountains  whose 
waters  ran  over  golden  sands,  cured  all  diseases  and  gave 
new  life  and  renewed  vigor  to  those  who  tasted  them  ! 
The  figs  and  grapes  of  Gomera  were  delicious,  but  in  the 
Wonderland  to  which  we  were  going,  fruits  and  flowers 
hung  always  on  the  vines,  needing  no  cultivation,  and 
many  sorts  of  fruit  grew  on  one  tree  !  The  most  beauti 
ful  of  women  waited  to  welcome  us  with  their  embraces, 
and  as  for  gold — the  yellow  gold  was  everywhere  !  It 
sparkled  in  the  sand,  shone  in  the  clefts  of  the  rocks,  the 
mountain  peaks  glowed  with  its  radiance  !  It  was  so  abun 
dant  that  the  people  cared  nothing  for  it  and  would  ex 
change  a  pound  of  it  for  a  hawk's  bell  or  a  few  bits  of  broken 
glass  !  We  would  load  our  ships  to  the  very  gunwales 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA.  233 

and  every  man  should  have  enough  to  make  him  rich  all 
his  life  !  And  spices  and  myrrh  and  frankincense  were 
so  abundant  there  that  Spain  would  catch  the  fragrance  of 
our  cargo  before  we  passed  Cape  Vincenzo  and  know 
that  we  were  coming  !  We  would  all  be  lords  of  Ind,  and 
all  the  world  would  marvel  at  our  wealth  and  splendor  ! 
The  poorest  would  be  peer  in  wealth  with  the  richest 
grandee  in  Spain  ! 

As  to  the  objections  which  had  been  urged  against  the 
voyage,  it  thrilled  one  with  a  vague  terror  to  listen  to 
the  boastful  way  in  which  he  spake  of  them.  God  had 
chosen  him,  Cristoval  Colon,  he  said,  to  show  the  way 
across  the  unknown  sea.  In  this  latitude  where  he  had 
brought  us,  the  wind  blew  always  westward  ;  farther  to 
the  North  it  blew  always  eastward.  This  he  had  learned 
by  sailing  every  sea  from  the  Gold  Coast  to  Ultima  Thule, 
and  noting  the  winds  and  currents.  This  great  truth  he 
alone  had  perceived.  It  was  this  secret  which  he  would 
never  impart  to  others,  for  on  it  the  success  of  his  voyage 
hung.  The  winds  of  Ultima  Thule  and  the  Azores  blew 
from  the  west.  That  was  the  reason  no  one  could  go  to 
Ind  by  that  route,  though  many  had  tried  it.  That 
way  we  would  return  ;  for  God  had  made  the  winds  to 
blow  different  ways  in  different  latitudes,  so  that  there 
could  never  be  a  point  to  which  if  a  man  sailed  he  could 
not  sail  back  again,  if  he  did  but  know  the  courses  of  the 
winds,  and  which  way  to  steer  to  find  those  in  his  favor. 
There  need  be  no  fear,  even  if  we  could  not  return  in  our 
ships,  for  the  Grand  Khan  to  whom  he  bore  letters  from 
their  Catholic  Majesties,  would  send  us  home  in  safety, 
laden  with  presents  of  gold  and  precious  stones,  if  we 
were  compelled  to  abandon  them.  It  was  strange, 
indeed,  if  a  hundred  Spaniards  could  not  safely  find  a 
way  where  Marco  Polo,  the  Venetian,  was  able  to  travel 
alone  and  unarmed. 

It  was  in  this  vein  he  spoke.     With  this  was  mingled 


234  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

Scriptural  phrase  and  cosmographic  speculation,  all  told 
with  the  same  wrapt  intensity  which  showed  the  speaker's 
firm  faith  in  all,  the  probable  and  improbable  alike,  and 
produced  a  strange  sense  of  doubt  in  them  that  heard  as 
to  whether  a  prophet,  a  philosopher,  or  a  mere  visionary 
spoke.  Especially  did  he  dwell  upon  the  fact  that  \ve 
would  without  fail  find  land  within  the  distance  of  seven 
hundred  leagues  at  the  farthest,  because  the  prophet 
Esdras  had  so  declared. 

"  Hear  the  words  of  the  prophet,"  he  said  : 

"UPON  THE  THIRD  DAY  THOU  DIDST  COMMAND 
THAT  THE  WATERS  SHOULD  BE  GATHERED  INTO 
THE  SEVENTH  PART  OF  THE  EARTH.  SIX  PARTS 
HAST  THOU  DRIED  UP  AND  KEPT  THEM  TO  THE 
END  THAT  SOME  BE  PLANTED." 

And  again  : 

"UPON  THE  FIFTH  DAY,  THOU  SAIDST  UNTO 
THE  SEVENTH  PART,  WHERE  THE  WATERS 
WERE  GATHERED  TOGETHER,  THAT  IT  SHOULD 
BRING  FORTH  LIVING  CREATURES,  FOWLS, 
AND  FISHES  ;  AND  SO  IT  CAME  TO  PASS." 

"You  all  know  that  wise  men  have  declared  that  the 
earth  be  about  eight  thousand  leagues  in  circumference. 
This  be  greatly  beyond  the  truth,  for  I  do  contend  that  in 
this  latitude  it  be  instead,  less  than  seven  thousand  leagues. 
But  even  if  it  be  as  much  as  the  greatest  estimate,  we 
have  the  word  of  the  Prophet  of  God  whom  none  may  gain 
say,  thit  only  one-seventh  of  the  whole  earth  is  water  and 
the  other  six-sevenths  dry  land  ;  so  that  within  seven  hun 
dred  or  at  the  most  seven  hundred  and  fifty  leagues,  we 
shall  reach  the  shore  of  Cathay  even  if  we  miss  Cipango 
and  the  Great  Archipelago,  which  lieth  somewhere  be 
tween.  Seeing,  therefore,  that  success  be  sure  and  that 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 


235 


honor  and  glory  and  great  wealth  do  await  each  of  us,  it 
behooveth  us  to  address  ourselves  stoutly  and  with  brave 
hearts  to  the  performance  of  duty,  seeing  that  thereby  we 
do  hold  our  fate  in  our  own  hands. " 

There  were  no  cheers  when  he  concluded  by  ordering 
the  Salve  Regina  to  be  chanted  and  the  anchors  raised. 
Every  one  sank  on  his  knees,  intoned  the  anthem  mechan 
ically,  and  went  silently  to  his  station.  The  crews  of  the 
caravels  clambered  quietly  over  the  bulwarks,  and  went 
aboard  their  own  vessels  as  if  they  had  heard  a  ban  rather 
than  a  golden  prophecy.  The  fear  and  wonder  the  Admiral 
had  inspired  were  greatly  increased  by  this,  but  I  can 
not  say  that  confidence  in  his  expectations  was  made 
stronger,  for  I  have  noted  that  whatever  is  most  clearly 
proved  by  Scripture  is  aye  the  most  easily  doubted.  For 
my  own  part,  I  will  admit  that  my  trust  was  lessened, 
for  I  saw  that  he  was  one  who  believed  whatever  he 
wished, — what  he  dreamed  as  well  as  what  he  saw, — and 
to  whom  nothing  inconsistent  with  the  theories  he  had 
formed  had  any  existence  or  any  claim  to  be  considered. 
He  was  one  who  deemed  it  impossible  that  he  should  err 
or  his  conclusions  fail,  and  counted  all  who  differed  or 
doubted  as  his  enemies.  The  very  magnificence  of  his 
promises  cloyed  expectation  and  chilled  belief,  until  even 
my  faith  was  dulled  and  with  a  shiver  of  apprehension  I 
was  compelled  to  echo  in  my  thought  the  words  of  Dona 
Guadita  :  "  I  do  not  trust  him  !  " 

But  it  was  a  bright  day.  The  ships  had  been  refitted 
and  well-provisioned.  Of  bread  and  wine  we  had  enough 
for  a  year,  it  was  said ;  and  of  the  sweet  waters  of 
Gomera,  sufficient,  without  mishap,  to  serve  for  a  much' 
longer  voyage  than  the  Admiral  expected  ours  to  be.  The 
course  was  laid  due  west;  the  wind  was  well  astern,  light 
but  steady.  There  was  a  merry  ripple  under  our  bows  ; 
the  water  swept  by  with  a  pleasant  murmur,  as  the  well- 
trimmed  ships  sped  on  with  even  keels.  The  dark,  wooded 


236  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

hills  of  Gomera  sank  into  the  sea  and  then  Hierro  with  its 
gleaming  cliffs,  and  we  had  bidden  adieu  to  all  the  earth 
which  any  Christian  eye  had  ever  seen.  There  were  few 
that  did  not  whisper  an  ' '  Ave  "  as  we  looked  our  last  upon 
the  land — a  thing  we  might  never  see  again. 

The  chill  of  the  Admiral's  speech  passed  off  as  the  day 
grew  older,  and  there  was  little  speculation  about  the  out 
come  of  the  voyage  among  the  men,  until  the  setting  sun 
showed  a  path  of  gold  before  our  prows.  Then,  Irish  Bill 
started  it  most  fortunately  with  a  jest. 

"Faith  now,  me  laddies, "  he  said  to  a  group  standing 
by  him  in  the  forecastle,  "  ef  all  that  away  toward  sunset 
yonder  was  pure  gould  as  thick  as  the  mainsail,  an'  we 
could  have  it  fer  the  gatherin'  up,  what  think  ye  we'd 
do  ?  " 

"Load  the  ship  and  make  sail  for  home, "  answered 
one,  "  just  as  quick  as  the  wind  would  carry  us." 

"Sure ye  moight  do  the  likes  av  that/'  retorted  Bill,  with 
infinite  scorn,  "  but  the  Admiral  wouldn't  think  av  it." 

"  Why,  what  would  he  do  ?  " 

"  Do  ?  Sure,  he'd  go  on  till  the  place  he  tould  us  about 
the  morn,  where  there's  rocks  an'  mountains  of  the  yellow 
stuff,  an'  so  save  the  trouble  av  loading,  don't  ye  see?" 

This  sally  brought  a  laugh  which  seemed  to  lighten 
the  gloom  and  reconcile  each  with  whatever  might 
befall. 

"Did  you  notice,"  said  the  whilom  monk,  after  the 
merriment  had  ceased,  "  that  he  didn't  say  a  word  about 
the  conversion  of  the  heathen  ?  " 

"Why  the  divil  should  he,  Fray  Ananias?"  asked 
the  Irishman,  good-humoredly.  "  Who  is  there  aboard, 
exceptin'  your  riverence,  that  cares  a  baubee  whither  the 
haythen  be  converted  or  not.  Sure,  it's  their  gould  that 
needs  convertin'  more  than  their  souls.  There  it  is  lyin' 
out  doors  with  the  rain  batin'  down  on  it  and  blinking  his 


OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA.  237 

eyes  out  belike,  with  the  glare  on  t ;  more's  the  pity  an' 
the  sin  on't. " 

"  He  never  forgot  the  heathen  when  he  was  speaking 
before  the  Queen  and  wanted  her  Majesty,  God  bless  her, 
and  the  Holy  Mother  Church,  to  back  his  venture,"  said 
the  other.  He  was  sitting  on  a  coil  of  rope  looking  out  to 
the  westward  as  if  he  saw  the  people  of  the  unseen  islands 
stretching  out  their  hands  for  the  Bread  of  Life. 

"  Av  course,  he  didn't ;  sure  it's  the  fashion  av  the  Coort 
payple  to  be  pious,  and  her  Majesty  must  needs  do  some 
thing  to  make  amend  fer  the  law  agin  the  Jews.  Ef  she's 
so  hard  down  on  payple  that  won't  be  Christains  whin 
the  way  is  open  to  'em,  she  can  afford  to  be  a  little  saft  on 
the  pore  craythurs  that  niver's  had  a  chance  to  be  Chris- 
tains,  at  all,  belike." 

"I  am  sorry  he  forgot  them,"  said  the  sometime 
monk  with  a  sigh.  "And  I  don't  understand  why  there's 
no  priest  aboard.  Surely,  if  we  are  going  to  convert  the 
Grand  Khan  and  his  people,  we  ought  to  have  a  mes 
senger  of  the  Church  to  baptize  them. " 

"Sure,  I  think  the  Admiral's  expectin' to  do  that  job 
hisself.  Can't  a  layman  baptize  as  well  as  a  praste  ?  " 

"That  is  only  when  the  party  is  in  extremis,  and  a 
priest  inaccessible,"  answered  the  other  sadly. 

"An'  whin  the  nearest  praste  is  thousands  av  miles 
away  an'  that  across  an  up-hill  sea,  don't  ye  call  that  in 
accessible  ?  Perhaps  he'll  give  ye  the  chance,  seein'  as 
ye've  had  experience." 

"  Nay,  nay,"  said  the  other  smiling  pitifully,  and  putting 
up  his  hand  as  he  turned  toward  the  banterer,  as  if  to 
repel  the  suggestion.  "lam  forbid — I  am  forbid!  If 
all  the  souls  in  Cathay  were  thirsting  for  salvation,  I 
might  not  put  the  holy  drops  upon  a  single  brow.  Pec- 
cavi !  Peccavi !  ' 

He  bowed  his  head,  and  his  lips  moved  in  prayer. 

"  Niver    moind     the     prastes,      shipmate,"     said    the 


238 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 


Irishman,  touched  by  the  other's  grief.  "I'm  thinkin' 
there'll  be  plenty  of  them,  an'  Dons  and  soldiers  too,  as 
soon  as  we  pore  divils  get  back  to  show  the  way  an' 
let  'em  know  whether  we  have  found  any  birds  worth 
pluckin'." 

"But    the   Queen    is  anxious  for  the  salvation  of  the 
heathen,"  persisted  the  unfrocked. 

"Sure  she  ought 
to  be,"  responded 
the  Irishman. 
"Wan  that  has  al 
lowed  so  many  of 
her  subjects  to  be 
burned  because 
they  believed  too 
much  or  too  little, 
and  has  ordered  the 
Jews  out  of  the 
kingdom  because 
the  prastes  think 
'em  not  good 
enough  for  Heaven, 
ought  to  be  anxious 
about  the  haythen, 
an'  no  mistake." 

"  Well,"  said  an 
other,  "  if  the  Ad 
miral  forgot  to  say 
anything  about 

converting  the  heathen,  he  didn't  forget  their  goods  and 
chattels." 

"Or  their  lands,  tenements  and  hereditaments, "  another 
added,  whom  we  called  the  Notary  because  he  had  been 
a  clerk  and  was  charged  with  some  irregularity  as  such. 
"He   didn't  forget   the  women   either,"  said  another, 


dtJT  OF  rJ/£  SUNSEf  SEA.  230 

coarsely.      "If  things  be  as  he  says,  there  is  little  danger 
of  the  Fray  going  back  with  us. " 

This  hit  was  greeted  with  a  roar  of  laughter,  for  it  was 
reported  that  the  reason  the  Friar  was  aboard,  was  because 
he  was  one  of  those  priests,  who  having  taken  a  wife  with 
out  the  form  of  marriage  and  contrary  to  his  vows,  as  had 
become  the  custom  with  many  of  the  clergy  of  Spain  at  that 
time,  had  refused  to  give  her  up  when  commanded  to  do  so 
by  his  superiors,  but  had  chosen  instead  to  surrender  his 
living  and  declared  his  purpose  to  marry  the  woman  who 
had  not  scrupled  to  sacrifice  herself  for  his  sake.  For  this 
act  of  contumacy  he  had  been  cast  into  prison.  The 
Queen  had  interfered  to  save  him  from  the  Quemadero 
and  allowed  him  to  enlist  for  this  voyage,  on  the  ground 
that  it  ill  became  a  queen  to  permit  a  priest  to  be  burned 
for  standing  by  a  woman  he  had  wronged.  He  seemed 
a  weak  man  and  his  terror  of  the  sea  had  made  him  at 
first  a  ludicrous  spectacle.  Some  wag  among  the  crew 
had  dubbed  him  "Fray  Mentiroso,"  or  the  liar.  The 
rotund  formlessness  which  comes  from  long  wearing  of 
the  priestly  habit,  together  with  his  heavy  features,  full 
lips,  and  the  tonsure  which  premature  baldness  had  made 
permanent,  gave  point  to  the  taunt.  He  had  taken  kindly 
to  the  performance  of  his  duties,  however,  and  was  one 
of  those  I  had  selected  to  guard  the  boats  at  Gomera, 
though  this  had  been  more  from  pity  than  with  any  belief 
in  his  efficiency.  His  habit  of  praying  and  fasting,  how 
ever,  made  him  invaluable  as  a  watchman,  and  a  certain 
unlooked-for  gentleness  had  made  him  a  favorite  with  the 
little  company,  who  constituted  what  was  derisively 
termed  the  "shore  watch,"  not  that  others  were  not 
allowed  on  shore,  but  we  had  remained  there  during  our 
whole  stay  at  the  Island.  Irish  Bill  still  pointed  a  jest  at 
him,  in  a  good-natured  way,  now  and  then,  but  every 
body  knew  that  the  two  were  warm  friends.  To  the  rest 
of  the  crew  he  was  still  merely  the  unfrocked  priest,  the 


240  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

most  despised  and  shunned  of  all  men  in  every  Christian 
land, — perhaps  the  only  sinner  it  is  not  allowed  another 
sinner  to  pity.  No  one  was  surprised,  therefore,  when 
the  warm-hearted  Irishman  rose  and  shaking  his  shock- 
head  turned  threateningly  to  the  speaker  and  said  with  a 
snort  : 

"None  of  that,  shipmate.  It's  bad  enough  to  twit  the 
poor  fellow  about  the  frock  he's  lost ;  but  it's  not  fair  to 
pick  on  him  fer  lovin'  a  woman  more  than  he  ought. 
Methinks,  there's  not  many  aboard,  from  the  Admiral 
down  to  the  cabin  boy,  Diego,  that  doesn't  need  absolution 
fer  sins  o'  that  kind. " 

"  So  you  stand  up  for  him,  do  you  ?  An  unfrocked  monk 
and  an  Irish  thief  go  well  together,"  sneered  the  Notary. 

"  Be  a  little  aisy  wid  yer  tongue,  now,  or  ye  may  need 
a  docther  an'  a  praste,  too, "said  Bill  with  dangerous  cool 
ness.  "  I  ain't  denyin'  that  I  did  ask  a  gintleman  that 
seemed  to  have  more  money  than  he  could  convayniently 
carry,  to  let  me  help  him  wid  his  load.  An'  by  the  same 
token,  the  unmannerly  cub  wint  an'  reported  to  the  judge 
that  I'd  robbed  him  of  the  thrifle  he'd  made  me  a  prisent 
of.  But  hark  ye,  Senor  Nothary,  I  didn't  steal  nor  thry  to 
steal,  a  widdey's  portion  nor  an  orphan's  inheritance  by 
forgin'  av  a  will  !  '' 

There  was  a  little  murmur  of  applause  at  this,  for  a 
crowd  always  likes  to  see  a  cur  get  his  deserts  even  if 
they  are  no  better  than  he.  Besides,  the  Notary  was 
not  popular  with  the  crew. 

"  Why  don't  you  confess  to  him  and  get  absolution  ?  " 
hissed  the  clerk  with  white  lips. 

"Sure  I  would  ef  I  needed  it, "  answered  Bill,  with  a 
laugh,  "beside  av  the  loikes  av  ye,  that  is,  that  has  done 
little  with  yer  breath  but  blaspheme  God  Almighty  an' 
cool  the  broth  that  ought  to  have  choked  ye,  syne  the 
verra  hour  we  set  sail. " 

"When  we  get  to  the  place  where  there  are  so  many 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA.  241 

pretty  women,  the  good  Fray  will  probably  desert  and  set 
up  a  church  of  his  own  where  priests  are  not  forbidden  to 
marry,"  said  the  Notary, perceiving  that  the  way  to  worry 
Bill  was  to  attack  his  friend. 

"  Will  he  now?  Git  out  yer  pen,  Misther  Notary,  and 
take  down  me  words.  I  make  a  prophecy,  here  an'  now, 
an'  I'll  bet  me  share  in  the  profits  of  this  v'y'ge  agin  half  a 
ration  of  wormy  peas  that,  if  we  iver  do  git  to  that  part  of 
Cathay  where  the  women  are  as  foine  as  the  Admiral  says, 
the  Fray  Pedro  Corbacho  will  be  the  only  married  man  in 
the  ship's  company  we  won't  have  to  bind  wid  cords  to 
get  him  aboard  an'  started  back  to  Spain.  Ye  see  he's  the 
only  man  here  that's  showed  that  he  loves  his  wife  betther 
than  himself." 

At  this  there  was  a  round  of  applause,  and  the  poor 
priest  sprang  up  with  an  apologetic  gesture  and  ran  across 
the  deck. 

"  An'  as  fer  bein'  shrived  by  him,"  continued  Bill  excit 
edly,  "  belike  a  good  man's  prayers  may  be  as  safe  housel 
as  a  worse  man's  ordinance.  How  many  prastes  did  the 
good  Francisco  Ximenes — God  bless  him  for  a  saint  as  he 
is — find  in  the  same  boat  with  our  Fray,  what  time  he 
went  through  the  province  barefut  sweepin'  em  out  as  wid 
a  broom?  By  the  Houly  Virgin,  I'd  sooner  trust  a  man's 
religion  that  'ud  stick  by  his  wife,  even  if  he  lost  his  sowl, 
than  the  prayers  av  one  that  ud  kape  his  coat  an'  cast  off 
his  wife.  An'  that  I  fancy  was  her  Majesty's  notion,  too, 
else  she'd  never  have  allowed  him  to  come  on  such  a  pious 
errand  with  sich  a  respectable  company  !  An'  he  the  only 
praste  on  board,  too  !  " 

A  half-hour  after,  I  saw  the  poor  Fray  leaning  over  the 
rail  amidship,  and  looking  down  into  the  water  which 
showed  a  glistening  furrow,  in  the  sultry  darkness. 
Fearing  he  might  be  contemplating  a  plunge,  I  went  to  his 
side  and  laying  my  hand  on  his  shoulder  said  : 

16 


242  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

"Never  mind,  Padre,  never  mind  ;  the  rascals  are  not 
worth  noticing." 

"  God  bless  thee,  my  son,"  he  answered  in  the  habitual 
tone  of  the  priest,  and  there  was  a  hint  of  tears  in  it  that 
made  it  a  true  benison.  "Thou  art  very  kind.  I  have 
not  deserved  so  much  as  I  receive  from  thee — and  from 
him,"  he  added,  with  a  gesture  toward  the  forecastle. 
"But  they  are  right.  I  have  sinned  and  must  suffer.  It 
was  she — Teresa — who  showed  me.  Teresa  who  suffers 
without  sin — a  lamb  misled  by  her  shepherd.  That  is  why  I 
came.  She  is — not  well,  you  know  ;  and  she  thought  if  I 
came  I  might  tell  the  story  of  our  holy  religion  to  the 
heathen  and  perhaps  God  would  incline  them  to  hear  me  ; 
and  perchance,  when  I  returned,  they  might  forgive  my 
contumacy  and  restore  me  to  my  function,  whereat  she, 
looking  down  from  heaven,  would  be  glad.  This  is  why 
I  was  troubled  because  the  Admiral  said  nothing  about 
the  conversion  of  the  heathen  ;  but  I  should  not  have 
spoken.  I  have  brought  shame  enough  on  Holy  Church 
already,  and  ought  to  have  known  I  would  be  misunder 
stood.  " 

He  turned  and  looked  over  the  side  again.  Whether 
there  were  tears  fell  into  the  flashing  brine,  I  know  not, 
but  I  am  not  ashamed  to  confess  that  there  were  salt  drops 
upon  the  deck  as  I  walked  away. 


T  was  on    the  day  we  left 
the  Canaries   that  we  began 

I  again  to  take  our  reckoning, 
a  duty  which  held  been  omit 
ted,  and  indeed  was  useless, 
if  not  impossible,  while  we 
•—••^3  were  drifting  before  head 
winds  and  in  varying  currents  off  the  shore  of  Africa. 
Thrice  every  day  now,  we  did  take  the  way,  and  by  es 
timating  course  and  distance  did  make  up  a  reckoning 
on  each  vessel  of  the  day's  westering.  The  Admiral, 
Juan  de  la  Cosa,  the  Master,  who  was  also  a  pilot, 
and  Sancho  Ruiz,  who,  though  denominated  the  pilot, 
was,  like  myself,  more  a  learner  than  a  navigator, 
albeit  a  sailor  of  experience,  and  I,  were  commonly 
present  on  the  poop  at  such  time.  TJiis  the  Admiral  en 
tered  in  his  journal,  and  I  wrote  it  down  in  the  book 
kept  open  for  the  inspection  of  the  crew.  It  was  not  much 

243 


Of  Till:  SUNSET  SEA, 

to  do,  and  was  the  only  duty  that  distinguished  me  from 
the  other  seamen  in  my  watch. 

When  the  weather  was  favorable,  Juan  de  la  Cosa,  one 
of  the  gentlest  of  men,  though  the  stoutest  of  mariners, 
who  had  taken  a  liking  to  me  for  some  reason,  used  to  con 
verse  with  me  upon  navigation  and  seamanship  ;  he  also 
showed  me  how  sea-charts  were  drawn,  in  the  prepara 
tion  of  which  he  was  greatly  skilled,  working  upon  a  plan 
of  his  own  which  is  as  simple  and  more  comprehensive 
and  reliable  than  any  ever  before  practiced.  He  taught  me, 
likewise,  how  to  reckon  latitude  by  the  tables  of  Regiomon- 
tanus  which  had  lately  been  prepared,  and  also  the  use  of 
the  backs  taff  in  taking  observations  ;  not  failing  to  impress 
upon  me  that  all  methods  employed  for  this,  were  so  de 
fective  that  no  man  could  sail  by  them  with  certainty,  any 
more  than  by  dead  reckoning,  which  can  never  be  made 
reliable  because  of  the  variableness  of  the  winds  and  the 
uncertainty  of  the  currents.  As  he  was  the  officer  in  charge 
of  my  watch,  I  had  many  such  opportunities  and  derived 
much  information  from  the  kind  old  Pilot,  who  loved  the 
sea  as  only  those  who  are  familiar  with  all  its  moods  and 
phases  ever  do. 

The  way  was  taken,  as  I  have  said,  three  times  a  day  on 
each  of  the  vessels,  and  on  each  ship  the  reckoning  was 
made  up  according  to  the  method  its  Captain  chose  to 
adopt.  It  is  a  difficult  matter  to  determine  with  anything 
like  surety,  how  fast  a  ship  sails,  both  because  the  winds 
are  variable  and  because  there  is  no  fixed  point  with  which 
comparison  can  be  made.  A  current  may  be  running  with 
the  vessel,  or  against  it,  and  in  either  case  it  will,  of  course, 
affect  the  relation  of  any  floating  body  to  the  motion  of 
the  ship.  On  the  Santa  Maria,  the  way  was  taken  by  a 
new  method  which  the  Admiral  had  adopted  as  being  more 
accurate  than  any  other.  I  do  not  know  whether  it  was 
of  his  own  invention  or  not,  but  his  great  skill  in  the  use 
of  sea-anchors,  shows  that  he  must  have  thought  much  of 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 


245 


the  principle  involved,  and  I  see  no  reason  why  he  should 
not,  naturally,  have  given  it  this  application  as  well  as 
another. 

This  method  consisted  of  a  piece  of  wood,  cup-shaped, 
with  a  line  attached  in  the  center,  which  was  allowed  to 
drag  astern,  the  line  running  free,  while  the  Admiral  held 
a  sand-glass  which  required  just  a  half  a  minute  for  the 
sands  tj  run  through  it.  This  glass,  he  told  us,  had  been 
tested  by  the  great  clock  which  Prince  Henry  of  Portugal 
had  caused  to  be 
constructed  b  y 
the  most  skillful 
horologist  of  the 
world,  in  the  hope 
of  obtaining  an 
accurate  measure 
of  time  to  secure 
certitude  in  the 
astronomical  ob 
servations  made 
by  him.  When 
the  sand  had  all 
run  out  the  line 
was  hauled  in  and 
the  knots  upon  it, 
which  were  at 
regular  intervals, 


counted.       Knowing    then,    how    far 


the  ship  had  gone  in  one-half  a  minute,  it  was  easy 
to  find  how  far  she  would  go  in  an  hour  and  in  a  day,  by 
taking  the  average  of  all  the  trials  for  the  day's  rate. 

I  had  been  accustomed  to  measure  time  by  count,  in  drill 
ing  our  spearmen,  so  that  they  might  become  accustomed 
to  an  even  step  and  leave  no  intervals  in  the  line,  and  was 
greatly  pleased  to  find  during  the  first  days  out,  how  near 
my  count  came  to  the  time  found  by  the  sand-glass,  never 
varying  more  than  one  or  two  beats,  and  I  usually  had 


246  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

"thirty"  on  my  tongue  when  the  Admiral  would  cry, 
"  Hold  !  "  After  we  left  the  Canaries  I  was  much  puzzled 
to  find  that  I  was  always  two  or  three,  and  sometimes 
four  or  five  beats  behind  the  glass.  As  it  was  my  duty  to 
check  the  line,  I  had  no  chance  to  look  around,  until  one 
day  when -for  some  reason  another  took  my  place,  I  hap 
pened  to  note  that  the  Admiral  held  the  glass  so  that  none 
could  note  the  falling  of  the  sand  but  himself.  Then  it 
flashed  upon  me  that  he  was  purposely  making  the  reckon 
ing  less  than  it  really  was  for  purposes  of  his  own.  This 
was  soon  confirmed  by  the  disagreement  of  his  reckoning 
with  that  made  on  the  other  ships,  which  he  said  was  due 
to  the  less  accurate  methods  they  employed.  I  did  not 
blame  him  very  much,  knowing  the  uncertainty  of  the 
voyage  on  which  he  had  set  out  to  go  where  no  man  had 
sailed  before,  but  I  could  not  help  seeing  that  the  time 
might  come  when  the  default  might  be  laid  upon  me  ;  for 
he  made  great  show  of  having  taught  me  how  to  take  the 
way  and  estimate  the  run,  and  every  day  when  he  did  an 
nounce  the  reckoning,  he  would  say  : 

"  How  much  dost  thou  make  the  day's  run  ?  " 

To  which  I  would  answer  as  I  had  worked  it  out ;  and 
he  would  reply  : 

' '  I  make  it  the  same, "  or  perhaps  a  little  more  or  a  little 
less.  But  all  the  time,  it  was  I  who  counted  the  knots  and 
made  report  thereof;  so  that  any  mistake  might  well  be 
laid  to  my  charge. 

This  troubled  me  all  the  more,  when  I  remembered  his 
manner  at  the  time  he  assigned  me  to  this  duty.  I  cared 
nothing  about  it  then.  All  I  wished  was  to  get  clear  of 
Spain  and  beyond  the  reach  of  the  Familiars  of  the  Inqui 
sition.  Now,  I  wished  to  live,  for  every  day  the  thought  of 
Xarifa  had  grown  dearer  to  me,  and  the  dream  of  flight 
with  her  to  some  unknown  shore,  more  and  more  definite 
and  delightsome.  It  is  strange  how  that  which  seems 
most  impossible  becomes  most  precious  of  all  things. 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 


247 


While  I  had  looked  forward  to  the  reward  of  my  service 
against  the  Moor  as  a  certainty,  and  had  no  serious  ques 
tion  that  I  would  return  to  England,  I  did  not  doubt  that 
Xarifa  would  some  time  be  my  wife.  Then  instead  of 
being  over-anxious  for  the  day  to  come,  I  merely  regarded 
it  as  a  thing  pleasant  enough  to  contemplate,  but  for  which 
I  had  no  consuming  desire  that  made  delay  seem  insup 
portable.  From  the  very  moment  I  knew  an  apparently 
impassible  barrier  had  been  raised  between  us,  the  thought 

of  her  was  never 
absent  from  my 
mind.  My  whole 
being  and  all  my 
desire  for  life  cen 
tered  upon  her. 
This  made  life  pre 
cious  and  I  dread 


ed  anything  that 
might  interfere  with 
my  safe  return. 

At  length,  I  de 
termined  to  tell 
Juan  de  la  Cosa 
what  I  suspected. 

"It  would  not 
surprise  me,"  said 

the  worthy  Pilot  with  a  sigh,  "indeed,  I  have  thought 
the  same  and  have  feared  for  thee,  my  son.  I  mis 
doubted  from  the  first,  when  he  gave  into  your  hands 
a  part  of  the  Master's  duty.  Not  that  I  cared  to  keep 
the  reckoning ;  but  I  saw  the  Admiral  wanted  one  who 
should  record  what  he  chose  to  have  him  enter,  rather 
than  make  up  what  the  Master  might  think  the  true 
distance  his  ship  had  sailed.  The  Pinzons  be  good 
sailors  and  men  of  experience,  and  it  does  not  stand  to 
reason  that  their  reckonings  be  always  too  great.  The 


248  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

Admiral  says  it  is  the  fault  of  the  method  they  use,  but  I 
misdoubt  his  machine  and  the  way  he  useth  it.  Thou 
shalt  take  no  harm.  Go  on  as  thou  hast  been  doing,  only 
each  day  mark  down  what  thou  thinkest  the  difference 
between  the  reckoning  agreed  on  and  what  may  be  the 
true  one." 

When  I  asked  him  if  he  thought  the  Admiral  ought  thus 
to  deceive  us,  he  said  with  a  shake  of  his  head  : 

"  It  be  a  dubious  venture  in  which  we  be  engaged  and 
the  crew  be  not  of  the  best.  While  a  navigator  ought 
not,  as  a  rule,  to  make  false  entries  to  mislead  those  under 
his  command,  it  may  well  be  that  the  success  of  the  voyage 
shall  depend  upon  it.  As  long  as  he  himself  knoweth  the 
true  reckoning,  there  be  little  harm  that  can  come  of  it, 
unless  it  be  to  impair  confidence  in  him,  which  is  of  all 
things,  the  most  important  to  be  maintained.  I  misdoubt 
if  the  Pinzons  will  believe  themselves  in  the  wrong  when 
the  difference  comes  to  mount  up  into  hundreds  of  leagues 
as  well  it  may  before  the  voyage  be  at  an  end. " 

After  that  time  I  added  a  column  to  the  right  of  the  day's 
run,  in  which  I  put  the  correction  as  I  did  estimate  it,  and 
when  the  Admiral  asked  what  I  did  make  the  reckoning, 
I  always  answered  : 

' '  If  the  sand-glass  speaketh  truly,  it  be  so  many  leagues. " 

When  next  he  examined  my  record  and  asked  what  the 
new  figures  were,  I  told  him  I  did  but  guess  at  what  the 
reckoning  of  the  Pinzons  would  be.  Nevertheless,  I  think 
he  suspected  that  I  had  discovered  his  artifice  and  liked  it 
not,  yet  would  not  openly  blame  me  lest  I. should  give  voice 
to  my  distrust.  Withal,  I  was  well  content,  for  I  felt 
that  I  was  learning  seamanship  under  its  greatest  master. 
Every  day  I  felt  the  knowledge  gained  from  Signor 
Caboto  and  Messer  Bartolomeo  was  being  extended  and 
made  clear  by  experience,  and  more  than  once  I  caught 
myself  wishing  that  with  a  stout  British  ship  under  my 
heels  and  a  faithful  English  crew  around  me,  I  too,  might 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 


249 


make  a  run  into  the  West,  in  search  of  such  adventure  as 
might  betide. 

I  did  not  doubt  the  Admiral  would  succeed,  unless  it 
should  happen  that  his  crew  might  compel  him  to  turn 
back  before  the  end  was  reached ;  and,  though  I  liked  it 
not  that  he  should  regard  me  with  suspicion,  as  he  seemed 
to  do,  I  was  consoled  both  with  the  thought  that  I  had 
given  him  no  ground  for  such  feeling,  and  the  fact  which 
I  observed,  that  he  had  no  greater  confidence  in  others. 
He  could  not  endure  that  the  Pinzons  should  get  a  ship's 
length  ahead,  though,  as  their  vessels  sailed  more  freely 
than  ours,  it  was  hard  for  them  to  keep  always  just  abeam. 
He  seemed,  also,  fearful  that  Juan  de  la  Cosa,  who  was 
his  stoutest  and  most  loyal  friend,  was  only  waiting  an 
opportunity  to  supplant  and  betray  him.  Seeing  which 
things,  it  dawned  at  length  upon  me,  that  the  Admiral 
was  one  of  those  unfortunate  men  who  can  never  wholly 
trust  another,  and  are  perhaps  for  that  very  reason,  seldom 
fully  trusted  by  those  in  whose  company  they  long  remain. 
To  such  it  happens  that,  however  many  new  friends  they 
may  make,  the  falling  away  of  old  ones  leaveth  them 
at  length  with  little  following,  and  that  not  always  of  the 
best. 

It  was  here  I  learned  that  most  valuable  lesson  to  him 
who  would  build  on  other  men's  co-operation,  that  con 
fidence  is  the  loadstone  which  draweth  to  a  man  the  trust 
of  others.  The  lack  of  this,  more  than  all  things  else  I 
think,  was  the  cause  of  the  Great  Admiral's  ultimate  mis 
fortunes.  He  was  unequaled  in  concept,  daring  and  skill 
ful  in  execution,  but  he  could  not  hold  the  confidence 
of  others  in  the  justness  and  fairness  of  his  purposes. 
When  a  man  asketh  others  to  embark  with  him  in  great 
ventures,  it  is  needful  that  they  should  think  he  hath  their 
interests  in  his  heart  if  he  would  have  them  carry  him 
faithfully  in  their  arms.  This  one  thing  the  Admiral 
lacked,  and  of  all  men  under  his  command  I  know  not 


250  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

one  that  loved  him  or  trusted  him,  save  only  him  who 
had  least  reason  of  all,  the  unfortunate  Fray  Pedro  Cor- 
bacho,  who  counted  him  God's  divinely-ordained  instru 
ment  to  bear  salvation  to  the  heathen  who  sit  in  darkness, 
and  blessed  him  with  every  breath  because  of  it,  while  he 
prayed  without  ceasing  for  his  success. 


sailed  on,  steering  ever  due 
the  sea  calm,  the  sun  hot  at 
midday,  but  balmy  as  May  at  morning 
and  evening  ;  the  \vaves  liquid  amber 
by  day  and  glowing  ripples  by  night. 
And  still  the  sails  needed  not  to  be  shifted.  Of  the 
two  men  at  the  rudder  there  was  need  but  for  one. 
Light  winds  aloft  caught  the  bonnets  and  topsails  and 
bore  us  steadily  and  smoothly,  as  if  indeed  we  ran 
down  the  side  of  the  world,  as  some  did  fear,  the 
more  especially  as  we  found  currents  setting  to  the  south- 
westward  which  strove  continually  to  veer  the  vessels 
from  their  course.  For  though  we  had  seen  the  great 
skill  of  the  Admiral,  and  there  were  none  of  the  crew  who 
did  not  believe  that  whatever  mortal  man  might  do  to 
baffle  wind  and  tide  that  he  would  do,  yet  there  were 
many  who  held  that  those  light  winds  aloft  blowing  al- 
way  from  the  east,  with  cloudless  skies  and  currents 
running  westward,  were  certain  indications  that  we  were 
passing  softly  down  the  earth's  western  slope  to  where 
the  waters  would  fall  off  and  the  winds  wholly  cease. 
Which  fear  was  not  without  reason.  That  the  waters  re 
main  on  the  upper  side  of  the  earth  even  if  it  be  a  sphere, 
is  not  a  strange  thing  ;  but  why  they  do  not  fall  off  on 
the  nether  side,  I  do  confess,  I  cannot  yet  understand, 
though  I  have  proved  by  my  own  experience  that  it  be  so. 

251 


252  0^77-  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

However,  I  think  it  was  the  lightness  of  the  wind  and 
fear  that  it  might  fail  rather  than  any  doubt  of  the  water 
under  our  keels,  that  troubled  the  Admiral.  He  wished 
that  the  wind  would  blow  strong  astern  while  the  crew 
were  praying  that  it  might  shift,  if  but  for  an  hour  to 
dead  ahead,  in  order  that  they  might  be  rid  of  their  fears. 
We  saw  many  new  fishes,  as  was  natural,  in  these  un- 
sailed  sfeas,  and  one  dark  night  a  ball  of  fire  fell  into  the 
sea,  between  the  Santa  Maria  and  her  consorts. 

But  nothing  very  wonderful  occurred  until  the  tenth 
night  out  when  my  watch  came  on  deck  and  I  went  to 
take  the  rudder  from  Fray  Pedro.  I  had  instructed  him 
in  the  use  of  the  compass,  so  that  he  had  become  an  ex 
cellent  steersman,  of  which  there  was  great  need  because 
of  the  few  experienced  sailors  in  our  crew.  He  was  all 
the  better  because  he  was  not  without  some  learning  and 
his  habit  of  wakefulness  and  earnest  desire  to  do  his  duty 
made  him  very  reliable.  Besides  that  he  was  strong 
though  not  being  braced  up  by  regular  exercise,  he  seemed 
but  loosely  put  together.  But  I  saw  him  afterwards,  often 
enough  in  the  worst  of  storms,  his  face  full  of  rugged  pur 
pose  ;  his  bare  feet  clinging  to  the  heaving  deck  ;  his  short, 
strong  fingers  knotted  about  the  rudder ;  his  uncovered 
head  swaying  to  and  fro,  and  his  great  brown  eyes  flashing 
back  and  forth  from  binnacle  to  bowsprit,  when  I  thought 
him  the  very  picture  of  a  faithful  helmsman.  And  never 
have  I  known  a  man  whom  I  would  sooner  choose  to 
have  on  the  other  side  of  a  swaying  rudder  in  a  heavy 
storm  on  a  dangerous  coast,  unless,  indeed,  it  were  the 
Admiral  himself,  who,  in  addition  to  an  arm  as  strong, 
better  knowledge,  and  more  experience,  had  that  rare 
and  valuable  quality  for  a  seafaring  man,  eyes  which, 
though  they  blinked  by  day  and  shrank  and  wept  when  the 
sun's  rays  fell  upon  them,  saw  at  night  almost  as  well  as 
others  do  in  the  daytime. 

My  watch  came  on  at  two  hours  after  midnight  and  I 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA.  253 

took  the  rudder  from  Fray  Pedro  whose  mate  was  always 
half  asleep  against  the  bulwark  or  gone  below  before 
the  relief  was  called.  We  always  exchanged  pleasant 
greetings,  and  not  unfrequently  he  remained  conversing 
with  me  or  wrapt  in  his  own  musings  for  an  hour  or 
more,  until  I  urged  him  to  go  below  that  he  might  get 
sufficient  rest. 

On  this  occasion,  he  seemed  much  excited,  and  when 
I  would  have  taken  the  rudder  from  him  he  waved  me 
off  and  said  in  a  low  voice,  pointing  to  the  binnacle, 
lighted  by  its  rush-lamp:  "  Pray  thee,  look  there,  Don 
Lajes. "  He  called  me  always  "  Don  "  as  did  the  others 
of  the  crew,  taking  it,  I  think,  from  Irish  Bill,  who  being 
from  the  same  country  was  supposed  to  be  good  authority 
upon  my  right  to  be  counted  a  gentleman,  and  persisted 
always  in  referring  to  me  as  Don  "  Latches,"  a  form  that 
fitted  his  lips  better  than  the  Spanish  aspirate.  "Prithee, 
look  there,  and  tell  me  what  thou  seest. " 

I  stood  on  the  larboard  side  of  the  binnacle  and  glanc 
ing  across  the  compass  face  in  the  direction  of  the  pole- 
star,  saw  that  the  needle  pointed  exactly  towards  it. 

"Keep  her  up,"  I  said,  supposing  he  had  let  the  ship 
fall  off  her  course  while  speaking. 

"She  is  up,"  he  answered. 

"  But  that  cannot  be  ;  the  star  should  be  five  points  to 
the  westward  !  " 

"  So  indeed,  thou  didst  teach  me;  but  look  for  thy 
self  !  " 

Examining  more  closely,  I  found  it  was  indeed  true. 
The  pole-star  and  the  compass  were  in  exact  conjunction. 
I  looked  to  see  what  had  caused  it,  but  the  needle  was 
working  freely.  What  could  be  the  reason  ?  Up  to  that 
time  the  star  had  been  five  degrees  to  the  eastward  of  the 
line  of  the  needle  or  a  little  less  ;  now  they  were  the  same. 
I  have  never  known  such  terror  as  took  hold  upon  me 
in  that  moment  when  it  seemed  that  our  only  guide  over  the 


254  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

trackless  unknown  waste  was  itself  likely  to  prove  unre 
liable. 

"  What  thinkest  thou  it  means  ?  "  asked  the  Fray. 

I  shook  my  head. 

"  Doth  it  not  mean  that  we  have  passed  beyond  the 
limit  where  the  laws  that  govern  the  upper  world  abound, 
into  that  nether  half  we  know  not  of?  " 

There  was  a  strange  light  in  his  eyes  as  he  asked  this 
question,  but  not  of  fear. 

"In  truth,  I  know  not, "  I  answered.  "How  long 
since  thou  didst  observe  it  thus  ?  " 

' '  An  hour   agone. " 

"And  thou  hast  spoken  of  it  ?  " 

"Only  to  thee." 

"  It  is  well  ;  I  will  acquaint  the  Master,  an'  thou  wilt  do 
me  the  grace  to  hold  the  tiller  a  moment  longer." 

"Willingly." 

Juan  de  la  Cosa  was  leaning  over  the  bulwarks  amid 
ships  when  I  found  him.  Asking  him  to  come  aft,  I 
pointed  to  the  binnacle  and  took  my  place  at  the  tiller. 

"What !  What !  "  he  exclaimed  as  soon  as  his  eye  fell 
upon  it.  "Who  hath  changed  the  heading?  " 

"It  is  due  west,"  I  replied. 

"Why,  so  it  is — so  it  is,"  he  responded,  glancing  at  the 
course,  "but  what  does  this  mean?  Never  did  I  know 
the  pole-star  and  the  needle  to  agree  before  !  " 

He  examined  the  compass  minutely,  and  with  a  troub 
led  countenance.  ' '  I  have  heard  of  slight  variations  before, 
but  thought  them  most  likely  fancies.  This  is  five  de 
grees  or  more,  and  I  know  not  what  it  portends.  Who 
knoweth  of  it  ?  " 

"None,  save  ourselves. " 

"  Let  it  be  so  still.  It  will  be  day  before  the  next  watch 
cometh  on,  so  they  will  not  note  it.  There  be  no  need  to 
wake  the  Admiral." 

"  He  getteth  little  enough  sleep  at  best,"  said  the  Fray. 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA.  255 

"That  indeed  he  doth,"  rejoined  the  Master.  "He  is 
aye  restless  upon  a  voyage,  especially  if  the  sky  be  over 
cast  ;  but  I  never  knew  him  like  this  before.  It  seemeth 
ever  as  if  he  thought  the  darkness  might  bring  us  some 
disaster.  I  will  tell  him  on  the  morrow. " 

"Nay,  my  good  Master,  thou  wilt  tell  me  now." 

It  was  the  Admiral's  voice.  He  had  come  upon  us, 
walking  softly  with  bare  feet.  It  was  thus  he  loved  to 
wander  about  the  deck  at  night,  making  no  sound  and 
coming  upon  the  crew  unawares,  so  that  no  one  whose 
duty  it  was  to  be  alert  dared  sleep,  from  fear  lest  he  might 
be  found  remiss  by  the  Admiral,  who  was  not  one  to 
pardon  such  offence.  "What  is  it  thou  wouldst  hold 
from  me  until  the  morrow  ? " 

Thereupon  the  Master  informed  him  what  we  had  dis 
covered.  After  careful  verification  he  said  : 

"This  is  not  to  be  wondered  at.  I  had  already  noted 
that  the  needle  was  approaching  the  pole-star,  but  did  not 
know  they  were  yet  in  conjunction.  It  but  confirms  my 
belief  that  the  earth  is  not  spherical,  but  that  there  is  a 
great  protuberance  upon  one  side,  up  which  we  are  now 
sr.;iing,  which  is  also  the  cause  of  the  cooler  weather 
we  have  for  the  last  three  days  experienced.  I  think 
the  earth  be  pear-shaped  rather  than  round,  with  the  larger 
end  toward  the  Antarctic.  " 

It  was  impossible,  listening  to  the  words  of  the  Admiral 
and  noting  his  composure,  to  doubt  that  he  had  really 
contemplated  this  very  contingency.  But  I  soon  became 
satisfied  from  his  changed  demeanor  and  the  frequency  of 
his  inspection  of  the  compass  at  night  when  the  star  was 
visible,  that  it  was  as  new  a  matter  to  him  as  to  the  others, 
and  that  the  explanation  which  he  offered  was  improvised, 
in  true  Italian  fashion,  for  the  occasion.  I  was  the  better 
satisfied  of  this  because,  though  I  considered  it  carefully, 
I  was  unable  to  see  how  such  protuberance  of  the  Antarc 
tic  explained  the  variance  of  the  needle  and  have  never  yet 


256  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

found  any  one  who  could  find  any  relation  between  them. 
It  was  evident  that  the  Admiral  himself  was  equally  unable 
to  apply  this  theory,  since  not  more  than  a  day  or  two  had 
passed  before  he  substituted  another,  which  was  that  the 
pole-star  itself  was  subject  to  change,  which,  if  it  be  not 
true,  is,  in  my  opinion,  much  nearer  the  truth,  the  ex 
perience  we  afterward  had,  as  well  as  other  observations 
in  the  same  seas,  serving  to  make  clear  to  my  mind  that 
the  steadfastness  of  the  needle  dependeth  not  upon  the 
pole-star  but  on  some  earthly  force  which  in  some  lati 
tudes  lieth  toward  the  star  and  in  others  varies  from  its 
direction.  But  what  causeth  the  attraction  and  whether 
the  same  be  constant  or  variable,  I  do  conceive  that  none 
will  know  until  the  nature  of  it  be  more  fully  apprehended. 
On  the  next  day  attention  was  attracted  still  more  to  this 
variation,  which  had  become  known  to  all  on  board  by 
reason  of  the  Admiral's  disquisition  upon  it,  by  the  ships 
entering  such  a  mass  of  floatage  as  was  never  before  seen  ; 
at  least,  that  was  the  opinion  of  the  most  experienced  sail 
ors  among  the  crew,  and  even  the  Admiral  did  admit  that 
he  had  never  beheld  anything  like  it  before.  It  covered 
the  whole  surface  of  the  sea  as  far  as  the  eye  could  reach, 
and  was  so  thick  that  the  birds  did  light  upon  it  as  on 
land.  Moreover,  it  was  so  dense  that  there  were  no  waves 
where  it  lay,  only  dull  heavy  swells,  which  raised  it  in 
great  ridges,  coming  often  in  a  direction  whence  no  wind 
did  blow.  Upon  the  upper  surface  this  mass  of  drift  was 
mostly  dull  brown  with  many  green  spots,  and  when  we 
did  pull  some  of  it  aboard  we  found  it  was  a  sea-weed 
which  sent  down  its  roots  many  fathoms.  All  took  this 
to  be  an  indication  of  land,  and  the  Pinta  and  Nina,  which 
being  smaller  vessels  were  less  hindered  by  the  wrack, 
pushed  forward  in  hope  of  being  the  first  to  make  the  ex 
pected  land.  When,  however,  there  seemed  after  a  day 
and  a  night's  sail,  no  indication  of  any  shore,  the  Admiral 
signaled  the  Pinzons,  who  commanded  the  caravels,  to 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA.  557 

come  On  board  that  he  might    consult   with  them,    both 
as  to  this  floatage  and  the  action  of  the  compass. 

Then,  indeed,  it  seemed  they  were  all  agreed  that  land 
should  be  found  thereabouts,  both  because  of  the  abun 
dance  of  floatage  and  the  fact  that,  on  a  chart  they  carried, 
a  great  island  was  laid  down  not  far  from  where  it  was 
believed  we  were.  Martin  Alonzo,  indeed,  declared  it 
could  be  nothing  but  the  mouth  of  a  great  river  and  swore 
he  expected  to  run  the  Pinta  ashore  before  another  sun 
rise.  Thereupon,  the  Admiral  ordered  a  bucket  of  water 


brought  upon  the  poop,  and  after  tasting  conceived  it  to 
be  fresher  than  it  should  be  in  mid-ocean.  But  Vincente 
Yanez  Pinzon  said  he  had  no  thought  there  were  so  big  an 
estuary  in  which  one  might  sail  for  days  and  not  see  land. 
Thereupon,  Juan  de  la  Costa  reminded  them  that  some 
cosmographers  had  held  the  better  part  of  the  nether 
world  to  consist  of  shoals  and  swamps,  and  asked  whether 
there  were  not  danger  of  becoming  involved  in  some  such 
water  whence  with  light  winds  we  might  have  difficulty  in 
getting  out.  Then  it  occurred  to  them  that  no  one  had 


258  our  OF  TUI-:  SUNSET  SEA. 

thought  to  see  what  depth  of  water  there  was  under  out 
keel,  and  the  Admiral  called  out  to  heave  the  lead.  Which 
being  done,  and  two  hundred  fathoms  having  run  and 
no  bottom  found,  he  exclaimed  to  Martin  Alonzo  Pinzon, 
who  had  predicted  there  were  not  fifty  fathoms : 

"Aha,  my  good  Captain  ;  there  be  enough  water  to 
float  the  Pinta  yet  !  What  sayest  thou  now  to  steering 
north-westward  to  get  out  of  this  entanglement  ?  " 

"  Thou  hast  ever  sworn  that  on  this  latitude  we  should 
first  find  land,''  they  all  answered.  "  Why  leave  it  when 
every  indication  showeth  land  to  be  near  ?  " 

Then  he  asked  if  they  had  not  noticed  the  action  of  the 
compass,  and  all  gathered  about  the  binnacle  to  hear  the 
Admiral's  explanation.  Which,  when  he  had  stated  it, 
Vincente  Yanez  Pinzon  said  he  felt  greatly  troubled  by  it, 
for  he  could  not  help  thinking  that  if  it  already  varied  five 
degrees  it  might  soon  vary  ten,  and  then  twenty,  and 
perhaps,  presently  lose  all  stability  of  purpose.  In  that 
case,  he  said,  we  would  be  like  a  blind  man  who  had 
lost  his  staff,  afraid  to  go  forward  and  unable  to  know 
when  he  is  going  back. 

Juan  de  la  Cosa  then  upspake,  and  first  advanced  the 
notion  that  it  was  the  compass  needles  which  were 
at  fault,  having  lost  the  efficacy  derived  from  the  lode- 
stones  on  which  they  had  been  rubbed. 

But  Martin  Alonzo,  who  was  a  sailor  of  the  old-fashioned 
sort,  who  had  less  care  for  astronomy  and  charts  than  the 
younger  men,  swore  stoutly  that  he  cared  little  what 
might  befall  the  cursed  bit  of  witchcraft,  anyhow.  Roger 
Bacon  and  the  Devil  had  invented  it,  he  said,  but  neither 
Bacon  nor  the  Devil  should  scare  him  back,  after  he  had 
come  thus  far,  until  he  had  either  found  land  or  seen  the 
smoke  of  hell,  at  the  very  least. 

Whereat  there  was  a  great  shout  from  the  men,  for 
sailors  are  ever  fond  of  one  who,  as  the  Spaniards  have 
it,  "spareth  not  the  garlic  "  in  what  he  hath  to  say. 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA.  2 59 

"And  as  for  losing  our  way,"  continued  the  Captain  of 
the  Pinta,  "I  see  not  how  that  can  be  as  long  as  we 
know  not  where  the  land  is  that  we  seek,  save  that  it 
lieth  to  the  westward.  As  long  as  the  star  is  in  the  north 
by  night  and  the  sun  riseth  astern  and  setteth  ahead,  I  have 
no  fear  but  the  Pinta  will  rind  her  way  westward,  and  if 
there  be  any  land  there,  by  Saint  Jago,  she  will  find  it  ! 
I  will  lay  you  a  ducat  to  a  maravedi  on  that,  even  if  the 
compass  dance  a  jig  round  the  whole  box  every  blessed 
day  !  " 

There  was  something  hearty  about  the  old  sailor,  who, 
though  he  did  not  profess  the  Admiral's  learning,  had 
even  more  confidence  in  wind  and  tide.  However, 
when  we  had  sailed  three  more  days  in  the  dull  sea  of 
floatage  seeing  nothing  of  land,  there  came  up  a  storm  ; 
the  Admiral  turned  his  prow  northward  and  the  others 
were  fain  to  follow.  This  took  us  out  of  the  Sargasso,  as 
we  had  named  this  sea,  which  though  a  mass  of  weeds 
upon  the  surface  we  found  no  bottom  in,  even  at  five 
hundred  fathoms.  The  wind  came  from  the  westward 
now,  and  blew  a  hurricane  almost,  for  three  days,  so  that 
we  scarce  made  any  head  against  it.  Thereby  all  fear 
that  there  would  be  no  wind  by  which  we  might  return 
was  dispelled. 

Then  we  sailed  westward  again,  for  ten  days  finding 
no  land  though  often  thinking  it  near  and  sometimes  think 
ing  we  did  see  it.  Then  Martin  Alonzo  Pinzon  insisted 
that  we  should  follow  the  birds  that  we  saw  flying  to  the 
south-westward,  and  turned  the  Pinta's  prow  in  that 
direction,  we  following  his  lead.  Five  days  thereafter 
we  did  find  land  beyond  a  peradventure.  Strangely 
enough,  it  was  from  the  Pinta  it  was  first  perceived, 
though  the  Admiral  claimed  to  have  seen  a  light  thereon 
the  night  before.  While  it  be  true,  that  he  could  see  in 
the  night  almost  like  a  cat,  as  I  have  remarked  before, 
there  was  none  who  believed  that  he  could  have  seen 


260  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

a  light  on  shore  when  we  were  ten  or  twelve  leagues 
away,  and  the  only  reason  the  pension  was  granted  him, 
which  he  afterwards  enjoyed,  seems  to  have  been  that  he 
was  Captain-General  of  the  fleet,  and  Rodrigo  de  Triana 
only  a  common  sailor.  The  fact  that  Triana  returned  in 
the  Pinta  with  Martin  Alonzo  Pinzon  was  against  him,  too, 
as  also  the  fact  that  he  was  a  converted  Jew  or  one  of 
those  "  New  Christians, "  so  little  in  favor  in  Spain,  despite 
the  ardor  of  the  Queen  to  increase  the  number  of  true 
believers.  It  is  hardly  to  be  wondered  at,  that  one 
treated  so  unjustly  should  abandon  his  native  land  and 
new  religion,  to  seek  shelter  with  the  Moors,  whom  he 
counted  less  inclined  to  take  from  a  poor  man  his  just 
deserts. 


THOSE  were  marvelous  months  we  spent  in  the  new 
lands  we  found, — lands  which  rose  up  as  if  by  magic  out 
of  the  Sunset  Sea  under  our  very  prows, — of  which  no  man 
had  dreamed  until  the  dim  light  of  that  early  morning, 
when,  with  the  young  moon  rising  out  of  the  dark  sea  that 
stretched  away  to  the  eastward,  the  converted  Jew, 
Roderigo  Triana,  sitting  in  the  crow's  nest  on  the  Pinta, 
spied  a  darker  cloud  that  clung  upon  the  western  horizon, 
and  sang  out,  "Land  ho  !  "  A  gun  was  fired  and  we  lay 
to,  with  sails  furled  waiting  for  the  day. 

It  did  not  need  much  knowledge  to  perceive  that  these 
were  not  the  lands  the  Admiral  sought — either  Cipango 
or  Cathay — for  they  had  none  of  the  civilization  of  which 
the  world  had  been  certified  by  those  who  had  adventured 
into  those  lands  or  had  received  credible  report  therefrom. 
But  the  Admiral  could  think  of  nothing  but  the  Archipelago 
which  lay  to  the  eastward  of  Cipango,  to  which  these 
islands,  he  maintained,  did  belong  ;  so  he  sought  only 
for  the  Grand  Khan  and  the  gold  with  which  his  realms 
abounded. 

They  were  wondrous  islands,  full  of  miracles  of  sense. 

261 


262  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

The  air  was  balmy,  the  seas  benignant !  The  earth  fruit 
ful  beyond  all  comparison  !  Flowers  of  the  most  intoxi 
cating  odor  :  fruits  the  most  luscious  :  trees  the  most 
wonderful  !  Each  new  isle  was  a  verdant  bower,  inter 
spersed  with  rich  meadows  ;  mountains  covered  with 
vines  ;  rivers  clear  as  crystal.  The  woods  were  full  of 
birds  of  brilliant  plumage  and  unwonted  song  ;  the  sea 
replete  with  strange  fishes.  Hardly  tree  or  vine  or  shrub 
or  flower  or  grain  or  fruit  or  beast  or  bird  or  fish  that  any 
one  had  seen  before,  greeted  our  eyes  in  those  months  of 
fevered  search  for  marvels.  Instead  of  gorgons  and  hob 
goblins,  which  we  expected,  we  found  in  these  islands 
not  a  harmful  beast,  and  only  the  gentlest  and  kindliest 
of  peoples.  So  that  in  all  our  three  months  of  sailing 
along  their  shores,  not  a  man  was  killed  by  them,  though 
we  were  not  innocent  of  provocation.  They  were  kindly 
and  trustful  ;  but  only  greed  and  lust  inspired  the  in 
truders.  We  sought  only  for  gold  and  spoliation.  I  do 
not  say  this  to  blame  the  Admiral.  Not  only  had  his 
dreams  been  of  gold,  but  all  his  hopes  hung  on  its  pro 
curement.  Wealth,  instant,  without  labor,  without  cost, 
unprecedented  and  incredible,  was  the  allurement  he  had 
held  out  to  his  Sovereigns  to  induce  them  to  embark  upon 
this  venture.  "Pearls,  precious  stones,  gold,  silver,  and 
spices  " — these  were  the  basis  of  the  convention  with  the 
royal  patrons.  These  were  reserved  for  royal  profit,  one- 
tenth  only  going  to  the  Viceroy.  In  these  things  there 
could  be  no  private  barter. 

I  may  well  call  it  a  fevered  search.  In  those  three  months 
of  coasting  among  islands  which  were  like  fairy-land,  the 
crews  were  ashore  hardly  a  dozen  days.  ' '  Where  is  the 
Gold  ?  Which  way  is  Cathay  ?  "  were  the  questions  asked 
of  every  dusky  heathen  :  "  God  show  us  where  to  find  the 
Gold, "  was  the  constant  prayer  of  the  disappointed  Ad 
miral.  Unfortunately,  he  had  none  of  that  power  which 
transforms  subordinates  and  dependants  into  friends  and 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA.  263 

followers.  He  made  no  appeal  to  the  loyalty  of  his  men, 
except  through  their  passions  and  their  greed,  and  even 
their  greed  he  showed  little  desire  to  gratify.  He  was  loth 
to  permit  them  to  mingle  with  the  natives  on  shore  lest  they 
should  gather  gold  on  their  own  account.  He  distrusted 
his  subordinates,  and  would  not  allow  the  Pinta  or  Nina 
out  of  his  sight,  though  they  were  well-commanded  and 
better  sailers  than  the  Santa  Maria.  Of  what  happened 
aboard  that  ship,  it  is  better  not  to  tell.  That  there  were 
jolly  times,  none  need  doubt.  As  there  seemed  to  be 
small  prospect  that  the  men  would  have  any  chance  to 
enrich  themselves,  they  did  not  hesitate  to  enjoy  such 
pleasures  as  they  were  allowed. 

Every  one  seemed  to  have  forgotten  about  the  conver 
sion  of  the  heathen,  except  the  poor  "Fray  Mentiroso," 
as  he  was  still  sometimes  called,  who  might  have  been  in 
orders,  so  faithfully  and  patiently  did  he  labor  to  find  the 
way  to  the  hearts  of  the  dusky  heathen.  How  many 
did  he  not  comfort !  How  many  did  he  not  shield  from 
evil !  But  not  one  word  did  he  utter  derogatory  of  the 
Admiral ;  not  an  order  did  he  disobey  ;  not  a  duty  did  he 
neglect.  If  the  crew  jeered  him  because  he  reproved 
their  brutalities,  he  answered  only  with  prayers  and  beni- 
sons.  Some  hated  him  for  his  reproofs,  but  all  esteemed 
him  for  his  gentleness.  Save  Irish  Bill  and  myself,  there 
were  not  many  who  might  be  called  his  friends.  Perhaps 
this  was  natural — we  were  foreigners,  and  had  not  the 
same  horror  of  an  unfrocked  priest  that  a  Spaniard  hath. 

It  was  enough  to  turn  the  heads  of  men — the  wonders 
which  we  saw.  Yet  there  was  none  of  that  magnificence 
which  the  Admiral  had  promised  and  no  doubt  fully  ex 
pected  to  find.  He  was  Admiral  in  good  sooth  now,  and 
Viceroy  also.  Such  were  the  conditions  of  the  conven 
tion  with  the  Sovereigns ;  and  the  first  thing  he  did  after 
taking  posession  of  the  first  island  with  great  formality, 
was  to  require  each  of  the  little  company  who  went 


264 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 


ashore  with  him,  and  then  each  of  the  crew  of  all  the 
vessels,  to  swear  allegiance  to  him  as  Admiral  of  the 
Western  Seas  and  representative  of  the  lords  paramount 
upon  the  land.  Thenceforth,  his  will  was  law.  Afloat 
or  ashore,  he  had  all  power.  There  was  no  limit  to  what 
he  might  do,  and  any  disobedience  was  treason  against 
the  Sovereigns  he  represented.  This  made  a  great  change 
in  his  demeanor.  He  assumed  much  pomp  and  arrogated 
to  himself  great  authority.  He  paid  little  attention  to  the 

wishes  of  any  under 
his  command  ;  and 
seemed  all  the  time 
wrapped  in  dreams 
of  his  own  great 
ness. 

So  we  sailed  up 
and  down  in  Won 
derland,  going 


hither  and  thither, 
wherever  a  dusky 
finger  chanced  to 
point  the  way  to 
wards  "the  place 
where  the  Gold  is  ! " 
W  e  skirted  the 
shores  of  hundreds 

of  islands,  great  and  small.  We  learned  that  to  the 
west  and  southward,  others  still  more  wonderful  were 
hidden.  Many  times  was  the  ceremony  of  taking  pos 
session  performed,  the  Admiral  wearing  a  crimson 
robe  over  his  armor  and  the  Royal  Notary  making 
formal  record  of  the  event ;  the  naked  Indians  looking 
wonderingly  on.  To  make  amend  for  the  little  liberty 
they  were  given,  the  Admiral  permitted  the  men  to  take 
of  the  Indian  women  such  as  they  chose,  "to  share  their 
durance "  on  board  the  ships. 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA,  265 

For  a  fortnight,  we  had  been  searching  for  Babeque, 
"where  the  Gold  is."  For  more  than  a  month,  we  had 
seen  naught  of  the  Pinta.  Had  her  Captain  found  the 
island  of  Gold,  or  had  he  returned  home  without  orders? 
These  were  the  questions  which  the  crews  discussed 
not  less  earnestly  with  each  other  than  the  Admiral  with 
himself. 

For  repairs  to  the  ship's  bottom  we  had  careened  her 
upon  the  shore  of  that  wonderful  island,  which  the 
natives  call  Cuba.  It  is  a  kingdom  in  itself  of  amazing 
beauty  and  fertility,  but  from  it  the  Admiral  turned  away, 
though  protesting  it  to  be  the  mainland  of  Cathay, 
because  there  was  little  trace  of  gold.  The  brown 
fingers  in  response  to  his  eager  inquiries  for  the  yellow 
metal,  still  pointed  to  southward,  uttering  strange, 
unknown  words,  "Bahio,"  "Yamaya,"  "Haite, "  "Ba 
beque  ! "  What  unimagined  wonders  hid  behind  these 
names,  each  one  an  echo  in  the  Admiral's  fancy  of  some 
oriental  marvel  !  But  Babeque  outshone  them  all  and 
made  the  wealth — the  inexhaustible  wealth  of  the  Cuban 
soil — seem  cheap  and  insignificant  to  one  who  sought, 
not  the  seats  of  empire  and  prosperity,  but  gold.  For  at 
Babeque,  the  wonderful,  it  was  said  they  picked  up  gold 
on  the  seashore  by  the  light  of  torches  by  night,  and  by 
day  beat  it  into  shining  bars  !  If  we  could  only  find 
Babeque,  wre  would  load  our  ships  with  gold  and  sail  away 
to  Spain  !  Fortunate  was  it  for  the  poor  Admiral  that  his 
dream  was  not  realized.  Had  it  been,  I  do  misdoubt  that 
he  had  so  overloaded  his  ships  that  every  trace  of  him  and 
his  discovery  would  have  disappeared  in  the  great  storm 
they  encountered  on  their  return  voyage. 

No  wonder  the  Admiral  named  the  harbor  where  he  lay 
the  Holy  Port,  or  that  there  came  into  his  fertile  brain  the 
belief  that  somewhere  hereabout  must  have  been  the 
Garden  of  Eden.  Nowhere  in  the  Old  World  was  ever 
found  such  verdure,  such  fertility,  such  salubrity,  nor 


266  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

withal  such  innocence.  For  although  the  women  were  as 
vain  as  any  of  Eve's  daughters  and  would  give  anything 
for  a  string  of  glass  beads,  a  red  cap,  a  hawk's  bell,  or 
any  trinket  with  which  they  might  adorn  their  persons, 
they  had  little  notion  of  using  fig-leaves  or  aught  else  to 
conceal  their  charms. 

It  was  a  dream  of  Paradise,  complete  in  all  things, 
even  to  the  devil  whispering  in  the  ear  of  Eve — only  here 
there  were  many  devils  instead  of  one — jolly,  laughing 
devils  and  many  not  unwilling  Eves.  So  the  hours 
slipped  by  full  of  languorous  delight  and  inexpressible 
wonder.  One  day  was  like  another,  only  now  it  was  one 
bit  of  wonderland  we  saw  and  on  the  morrow  another. 


THE  little  cove  where  we  lay  swarmed  with  Indians, 
men  and  women,  in  their  canoes,  in  the  water,  on  the  land  ; 
mild,  curious,  trustful.  Nearly  all  our  crews  were  ashore, 
bartering-,  chaffering,  strolling  with  them  into  the  forest 
that  came  dark  and  luxuriant  down  to  the  beach  of  soft, 
white  sand.  The  Admiral,  with  his  red  cloak  worn  over 
his  shining  armor,  guarded  by  a  small  company  of 
arquebusiers,  was  trying-  to  learn  more  about  the  gold,  the 
great  king  of  whom  he  thought  they  spoke,  and  whatever 
else  he  might  inquire  by  signs,  loud  words,  commands  and 
threats.  Juan  de  la  Cosa,  left  in  charge  of  the  ship,  sat 
dreamily  watching  the  curious  scene  from  the  poop.  A 
few  of  the  company  who  remained  on  board,  were  scat 
tered  here  and  there.  Our  decks  were  heaped  with 
strange  fruits  and  stores  of  cassava,  enough  to  supply 
twice  our  number.  Since  we  came  among  the  islands,  our 
supplies  had  hardly  been  touched,  so  abundant  was  the 
new  fruitage. 

The  Padre  was  leaning  over  the  rail  in  the  waist,  with 
a  serious  countenance,  observing  what  went  on.  Every 
thing  was  so  strange,  from  the  parrots  in  the  wood  to  the 
great  tortugas  that  floated  by  us  in  the  water  by  day,  or 


268 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 


crept  awkwardly  up  the  sandy  beach  by  night,  that  one 
could  never  cease  to  wonder  at  what  he  saw.  But  the 
Fray  was  even  more  interested  in  the  people  than  in  all 
the  other  wonders  of  these  new  regions.  He  was  as  anx 
ious  to  save  the  souls  of  the  poor,  naked,  yet  kind  and 
generous  heathen,  as  the  Admiral  was  to  secure  their  gold, 
or  the  crews  to  abuse  their  bodies. 

Having  naught  else  to  do,  I  strolled  over  and  stood  in 
the  shadow  of  the  mast  beside  him. 


"  The  Admiral  is  having  quite  a  parley  with  the  Indians, " 
I  remarked. 

"Aye,"  answered  the  good  father,  looking  around  with 
his  accustomed  smile,  "he  is  trying  to  make  them  under 
stand  that  this  is  the  eastern  coast  of  Asia,  and  to  learn 
how  many  days'  journey  it  is  to  the  capital  of  the  Grand 
Khan  ;  and  they  are  endeavoring  to  make  him  know  that 
this  is  a  great  island  named  Cuba,  which  it  would  take 
him  twenty  days  to  sail  around." 

"  Can  you  make  out  all  they  say  ? '' 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA.  269 

"  Not  all,  my  son — but  many  things." 

"It  is  strange  that  you  should  master  their  language  so 
soon." 

"  Bethink  thee,  lad,"  was  his  modest  reply,  "  that  while 
others  have  been  searching  for  gold  I  have  been  seeking 
for  knowledge.  Besides,  I  have  prayed  the  Holy  Saints 
for  aid,  and  I  think  they  have  helped  me." 

"Why  does  not  the  Admiral  employ  you  to  interpret  for 
him  ?  " 

"I  cannot  tell  the  stories  he  wishes  to  hear,"  was  the 
Padre's  reply.  "Besides,  he  is  not  one  to  admit  that 
another  knoweth  more  than  he." 

He  had  a  book  open  upon  the  rail  before  him,  in  which  he 
now  and  then  jotted  down  a  word.  The  shore  was  hardly 
half  a  hundred  yards  away,  and  we  could  easily  hear  what 
was  said  ;  but  in  all  the  time  we  had  been  here  I  had  not 
learned  more  than  a  dozen  native  words,  while  the  Padre 
had  whole  pages  full  of  them. 

"  Why  do  you  take  so  much  pains  to  learn  the  language 
of  these  people  ?  "  I  asked  curiously,  after  watching  him 
awhile. 

"I  will  tell  thee,  my  son,"  he  answered,  closing  his 
book  and  putting  it  in  the  breast  of  his  frock.  "It  is  be 
cause  this  is  my  one  opportunity  to  secure  the  removal 
of  the  interdict  that  stands  against  me.  Dost  thou  not  see 
that  he  who  shows  the  way  to  the  hearts  of  these  poor 
heathen,  whereby  the  dear  Lord  Christ  may  come  in  as 
at  an  open  door,  will  deserve  well  of  the  Church,  and  even 
though  he  be  dead,  will  receive  the  reward  of  recognition  ? 
It  is  true  I  am  forbid  to  administer  any  of  the  holy  sacra 
ments  ;  but  I  am  not  forbid  to  teach  the  gospel  and  show 
the  way  of  life  to  these  poor  children  of  darkness.  When 
you  sail  away  on  the  return  voyage  I  shall  remain  ;  I  will 
learn  their  language,  and  if  I  may  not  be  the  apostle  for 
their  conversion,  I  shall  make  plain  the  way  for  his  feet 
when  he  comes.  And  I  shall  have  my  reward  ! " 


270  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

He  turned  away  to  hide  his  emotion,  crossed  the  deck 
and  stood  looking  out  in  silence  over  the  sunlit  sea. 
Presently  he  returned. 

"Pardon,"  he  said,  "I  would  be  glad  to  tell  thee — to 
have  thee  know.  One  does  not  cease  to  be  a  man 
because  he  has  been  a  priest — not  even  when  he  has  been 
degraded.  It  was  Teresa,  the  blessed  saint,  who  fore 
knew  this  opportunity,  and  implored  me  to  accept  the 
Queen's  grace  and  enlist  upon  this  voyage.  The  Admiral 
has  opened  the  way  with  his  thirst  for  gold  and  pride  and 
pomp.  This  is  not  the  land  he  sought.  We  know  it  is 
not,  but  he  will  not  see  or  believe.  It  bodeth  ill  for  him 
that  his  eyes  are  blind.  A  great  empire  lieth  here — God 
knows  how  great — but  he  will  never  see  it  nor  rule  over 
it.  He  thinketh  not  of  mercy,  or  justice,  but  only  of 
gold.  If  he  doth  not  find  it,  or  findeth  it  not  in  sufficient 
abundance,  he  will  make  merchandise  of  the  souls  and 
bodies  of  these  children  of  the  forest.  Those  graceful 
forms,  with  soft  brown  skins,  like  velvet  to  the  touch,  will 
be  rare  merchandise  in  the  marts  of  Madrid  and  Seville  ! 

"But  God,  who  knoweth  all  things,  looketh  beyond 
to-day.  Had  the  Admiral  been  other  than  he  is,  he  would 
never  have  found  these  lands.  It  was  the  hope  of  gold 
that  gave  him  opportunity,  and  the  glint  of  gold  under  his 
prows  that  maintained  his  courage.  Now  it  blinds  him. 
That  is  God's  way.  He  sharpenethHis  own  instruments. 
The  tool  is  dull  and  blind  and  cold  in  the  hand  of  him 
that  uses  it.  When  it  has  done  its  work  it  does  but  tear 
and  rend  if  it  goes  beyond  its  appointed  limit.  The 
Admiral  is  the  path-finder  ;  for  that  work  he  hath  been 
prepared.  He  cannot  rule,  establish,  or  secure.  All  this 
expanse  of  beauty  and  fertility  he  would  make  a  desert 
for  the  sake  of  a  little  gold.  All  these  people  he  would  de 
stroy,  now  and  forever,  if  he  might  but  load  his  ship  with 
gold  to  show  to  them  he  serves  ! 

"God  maketh  every  man   for  one  thing;  giveth  him 


OUT  OF  TJJE  SUNSET  SEA.  2>jl 

One  opportunity  ;  traineth  him  for  one  service.  The 
Admiral  he  hath  fitted  only  to  show  the  way  to  others, 
not  to  improve  the  opportunity.  Already  he  hath  estranged 
those  under  him.  While  none  doubteth  his  skill  and  all 
wonder  at  his  fortitude  and  daring,  there  be  none  who 
love  him.  He  cares  naught  for  any  man's  right  or  advan 
tage  save  his  own.  Is  it  any  wonder  the  Pinzons  chafe 
under  his  suspicion  and  restraint  ?  Have  they  not 
adventured  in  this  enterprise  more  than  he  ?  Even  the 
share  he  hath  in  it,  does  it  not  depend  on  their  favor  and 
confidence  ?  Yet  he  treats  them  like  children.  They 
must  neither  discover  nor  acquire  anything.  Not  an 
island  is  named  for  them  ;  not  even  the  least  portion  of 
the  vast  domain  assigned  to  them.  They  are  to  have  no 
honor  and  acquire  no  fortune  if  he  can  prevent.  Who 
but  he  in  all  the  world  would  be  so  blind  !  If  he  would 
say  to  the  masters  of  his  ships,  severally,  '  This  is  thy 
principality.  Thou  mayest  take  and  hold,  have  and 
possess,  paying  only  to  our  sovereign  Queen  the  share 
ordained,  and  yielding  to  me  as  -chief  feudatory  and 
viceroy  allegiance  and  such  modicum  of  tribute  as  is  just,' 
what  liegemen  would  not  the  Pinzons  and  the  gentle  Juan 
de  la  Cosa  be  ?  How  staunch  in  friendship  and  untiring 
in  duty  !  And  his  men,  having  such  hope  before  them, 
what  retainers  !  But  because  his  possessions  are  bound 
less  he  is  only  fearful  lest  some  one  should  clip  the  un- 
watched  edges. 

"  Such  is  ever  the  way.  He  that  hath  nothing,  when 
his  hands  are  filled  to  overflowing,  begrudges  others  even 
a  pinch  of  the  sands  that  bound  the  shores  of  his  thousand 
principalities.  He  will  not  allow  his  men  to  accept 
a  grain  of  gold  as  a  present  from  one  of  these  children  of 
the  forest,  or  to  buy  even  a  nose-ring  with  any  bauble  he 
may  have.  It  is  all  his — his  and  the  Queen's  !  Is  it 
strange  that  Martin  Alonzo  would  not  see  his  signals  and 
hath  gone  off — none  knoweth  whither  ?  Is  it  to  be  won- 


272  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

dereci  at  that  of  his  crews  none  speak  him  well  except  for 
favor  ?  Put  them  back  in  Spain  to-day,  and  how  many, 
think  you,  would  enlist  willingly  with  him  again  ?  They 
are  not  good  men,  I  grant  ;  neither  are  they  all  bad. 
Some  are  unfortunate,  some  vicious,  some  worthless,  no 
doubt  ;  but  all  men,  good  and  bad  alike,  are  won  by  the 
same  qualities.  He  that  would  lead  men  must  first  of  all 
be  generous  to  them  by  whose  aid  he  rises  to  power  and 
renown.  He  that  conquers  a  kingdom  must  make  his 
lieutenants  princes  and  nobles  if  he  would  hold  their 
allegiance.  He  who  asks  others'  aid  in  great  enterprises 
must  give  in  proportion  to  his  success  to  those  by  whose 
favor  he  wins.  This  is  the  test  of  greatness  of  soul  and 
fitness  for  leadership. 

"I  would  the  Admiral  had  these  qualities,  not  for  his 
own  sake  merely,  but  because  he  hath  brought  me  mine 
opportunity — an  opportunity  which  had  never  come  but 
for  him — also  for  the  sake  of  my  shipmates  who  have 
shared  the  hardships  and  terrors  of  his  voyage,  and  espe 
cially  for  the  sake  of  these  simple  people  whom  God  hath 
put  into  our  hands  to  be  dealt  with  as  we  would  have 
His  grace  deal  with  us.  My  heart  is  wrung  with  pity  for 
the  woes  I  see  in  store  for  them  !  Who  will  teach  them  ? 
Who  will  strengthen  them  ?  Who  will  fit  them  for  the 
new  condition  that  must  soon  confront  them?  O  dear 
Lord  Christ  !  Hast  thou  planted  justice  in  no  man's 
heart  ?  Or  must  Thy  name  be  forever  but  a  cloak  for 
greed  and  lust  and  oppression  ?  Must  all  these  perish 
because  Thou  hast  died,  and  by  Thy  death  become  the 
inspirer  of  them  that  wrong  and  slay  Thy  children  ?  Will 
Thy  kingdom  never  come  on  earth  ?  Will  men  never 
learn  that  he  who  seeks  salvation  in  Thy  name  is  barred 
by  his  own  hope  of  heaven  from  wrronging  those  Thou 
didst  die  to  save  ? '' 

His  emotion  choked  him.  Tears  fell  down  his  face  as 
he  made  the  holy  sign,  and  his  lips  overflowed  with 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA.  2^3 

prayers.  He  rose  and  walked  excitedly  up  and  down 
the  narrow  passage  on  the  cluttered  deck.  He  had  raised 
his  voice  in  his  excitement  and  Juan  de  la  Cosa,  nodding 
on  the  poop,  opened  his  eyes  and  looked  down  in  surprise. 
"I  tell  thee, "  continued  the  Padre,  lowering  his  tones 
as  he  caught  the  Master's  eye,  though  his  voice  still 
thrilled  with  emotion,  "it  is  my  opportunity  !  I  will  go 
to  them  !  I  will  teach  them  the  way.  It  may  not  be  for 
long — it  may  be  only  a  very  little  seed,  that  will  never 
blossom  on  earth,  but  it  will  bear  fruit  in  Heaven,  and  the 
dear  Lord  Christ  and  Mary  Mother  will  see  it,  and  my  sin 
will  be  forgiven.  They  will  know  that  I  loved  my  Lord, 
not  less  but  more,  for  having  loved  Teresa.  And  she  will 
be  forgiven,  because  but  for  her  I  should  never  have  had 
the  wit  nor  the  strength  to  have  determined  on  this  duty. 
Dear,  sweet  saint  !  She  still  mourns,  thinking  she  did 
tempt  me  to  sin  and  was  the  cause  of  my  obduracy.  It 
was  not  so,  though  I  could  never  make  her  believe  it.  She 
ever  bewails  that  beauty  which  did  enthrall  me,  thinking 
it  did  drag  me  down.  On  the  contrary,  it  did  lift  me  up. 
I  had  fallen  if  I  had  never  seen  her  ;  but  I  had  never 
risen  but  for  her  love.  I  could  not  deny  her  to  save  myself. 
If  we  sinned  together,  I  had  shamed  the  Son  of  God  had 
I  left  her  to  endure  its  scath  and  gone  on  in  the  dis 
charge  of  my  holy  functions.  Her  love  taught  me  to  bow 
to  the  will  of  the  Church,  and  endure  patiently  the  pun 
ishment  of  my  sin.  It  was  hard  for  the  popular  priest, 
esteemed  by  his  order,  and  loved  by  his  people,  to  en 
dure  degradation  and  become  an  outcast  ;  but  I  did  not 
murmur.  Her  sweet  courage  kept  me  from  that  sin. 
But  my  superiors  will  one  day  revoke  my  sentence,  and 
she  will  know  of  it,  and  be  glad.  I  shall  send  her  a 
letter  by  you,  and  also  one  to  the  Queen's  Confessor,  that 
Ximenes  who  is  so  harsh  a  saint  and  yet  so  just,  and  you 
must  promise  to  deliver  them  with  your  own  hands.  Will 
you  do  it  ?  " 

18 


274 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 


"Indeed,  Padre,"  I  answered  with  a  shrug,  "so  far  as 
the  Mistress  Teresa  is  concerned,  I  make  no  question  ;  for 
I  would  count  nothing  too  much  that  would  favor  thee  ; 
but  as  to  the  Confessor,  who  may  be  Primate  now,  for 
aught  we  know,  it  might  be  putting  my  head  in  the  lion's 
mouth  to  confront  him." 

"Tush,  man,  he  knoweth  naught  of  thee  !  " 
•"Pardon    me,    good    father,   but  the    monk   Francisco 
Xinienes  hath  often  held  familiar  speech  with  me,  and  he 
is  not  one  to  forget 
a    face     that    hath 
once     claimed   his 
attention." 

' '  Thou  art  right 
in  that ;  but  I  am 
surprised  at  what 
thou  sayest.  How 
came  it  thou  hadst 
speech  with  the 
holy  man  ? " 

"  No  matter ;  an' 
thou  writest  the 
letter,  I  will  see  it 
be  delivered — if  not 
by  myself  by  a  sure 
hand,  if  that  will 
content  thee  ?  " 

"Truly,  I  may  not  ask  for  more.  I  did  hope  that  one 
who  could  himself  testify  of  my  life  during  this  voyage, 
might  bear  my  petition  to  his  Eminence  ;  but  I  ought  not 
perhaps  to  ask  even  that,  considering  what  measure  of 
divine  favor  hath  been  already  granted  me." 

Seeing  his  great  distress,  I  said,  jestingly  : 

"But his  Reverence  never  saw  me  in  a  sailor's  jacket 
with  an  Andalusian  cap  on  my  head." 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA.  275 

"Did  he  not?"  asked  the  Fray,  eagerly,  "  nor  with  a 
beard,  either,  belike  ?  " 

"  No,  indeed,"  I  said,  putting  my  hand  to  my  face,  "  a 
beard  is  an  ill  thing  under  a  close-fitting  aventaile,  such 
as  I  have  been  wont  to  wear." 

I  had  not  thought  of  the  beard,  which  had  grown  since 
our  embarkation,  as  having  changed  my  appearance,  and 
rubbed  my  hand  over  my  face  in  some  confusion  in  re 
sponse  to  his  inquiring  look.  These  three  months  had 
screened  my  features  almost  as  effectually  as  the  helmet 
I  had  worn  so  long. 

"  I  must  look  like  a  pirate,"  I  said,  as  I  felt  the  unac 
customed  growth. 

"I  do  not  think  even  thy  mother  would  recognize  thee, 
my  son." 

Looking  at  his  own  face,  which  had  been  smooth 
shaven  when  we  left  Huelva,  but  now  was  hidden 
with  a  tangle  of  lustrous  black,  I  could  well  credit  his 
words. 

"And  thou  thinkest  in  a  few  months  more  even  his 
Eminency,  the  lynx-eyed  Ximenes,  would  be  at  fault ! 
Very  well ;  if  occasion  offers  I  will  make  trial  of  thy 
faith,  and,  if  my  beard  is  not  enough  to  preserve  my 
incognito,  my  wit  must  give  assurance  for  my  head. 
Though  before  that  time,  there  be.  some  reason  to  hope, 
his  Eminence  may  become  my  friend." 

"God  grant  thy  hope  prove  true,"  said  the  Padre 
simply. 

Then,  as  we  hung  over  the  rail,  looking  down  into  the 
still,  clear  water,  full  of  many  colored  fishes,  which  were 
ever  darting  about  our  hull  as  if  bent  on  .making  acquaint 
ance  with  some  strange  intruder,  I  told  the  Padre  of  my 
self. 

"Thou  hast  powerful  enemies,  my  son,"  said  the  poor 
Fray  with  much  solemnity  as  I  concluded.  "  It  is  a 
terrible  thought  that  the  weal  of  Mother  Church  demands 


276  OUT  Of  THE  Slf MS  PIT  SEA. 

the  use  of  such  instruments  to  preserve  her  purity.  I 
cannot  believe  it  is  the  right  way,  yet  it  is  not  for  such  as 
I  to  criticise  them  that  do  her  work  and  exercise  the  power 
to  bind  and  loose  on  earth."  He  bowed  his  head  and 
crossed  himself. 

The  Padre  was  a  man  of  strange  ideas.  He  seemed  to 
think  that  Christianity  was  one  thing  and  the  Church 
another,  and  that  it  might  be  possible  both  for  a  man  to 
be  a  Christian  without  believing  in  the  Church,  and  that 
the  Church  might  exist  without  any  hint  of  Christianity 
in  its  character  or  purpose,  beyond  the  Holy  Name  and 
certain  formal  rites.  He  regarded  the  act  for  which  he 
had  been  placed  under  ban  as  sinful,  not  so  much  I  think 
because  he  was  a  priest  as  because  it  was  a  matter  of  in 
justice  toward  the  woman  who  gave  him  her  love,  and 
I  could  never  learn  that  he  desired  the  removal  of  the 
interdict,  for  any  reason  except  that  it  would  pleasure 
her. 

He  was  silent  for  a  long  time,  then,  as  if  suddenly 
awakening  to  the  present,  continued  in  a  different  tone  : 

"  It  may  be  there  is  a  wall  of  fire  about  thee  it  is  impos 
sible  to  break  through,  but  remember  there  be  no  juster 
man  in  all  Spain  than  Francisco  Ximenes,  whom  every 
bad  man,  and  especially  every  bad  priest,  doth  fear  and 
hate.  If  thou  canst  make  him  thy  friend  thou  mayest 
rest  secure." 

"Be  it  so,  Padre,"  I  rejoined,  "if  I  go  and  thou  re- 
mainest  here,  be  sure  I  will  not  only  find  thy  Teresa,  but 
the  Queen's  Confessor  shall  know  thou  art  doing  more  for 
the  Lord  Christ  among  the  heathen  in  the  new  lands  than 
all  the  priests  of  Spain  in  their  fat  benefices." 

"  Nay,  nay  !  "  exclaimed  the  Padre,  looking  around  in 
alarm.  "  I  pray  thee  do  not  endanger  thyself  to  serve 
me.  Such  speech  might  anger  him. " 

"  A  fig  for  his  anger  !  If  one  is  to  be  another's  friend, 
shall  he  not  stand  by  him  to  the  end?  I  could  never 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA.  277 

measure  my  words.  Besides,  I  doubt  if  the  Fray  Fran 
cisco  liketh  not  to  hear  an  unpleasant  truth  boldly  spoken, 
better  than  a  half-truth  that  needeth  a  cover  to  hide  its 
deficiency.  But  what  matter  ?  I  misdoubt  thy  staying. 
It  be  far  more  likely  we  shall  all  go  back  together.  Then 
thou  canst  do  thine  own  errands,  and  pray  God  He 
give  thee  good  speed  therein  !  " 

"  Do  not  imagine  it,  my  son  ;  I  shall  never  see  Spain, 
nor  ever  exercise  the  priest's  function  again.  I  shall  re 
main  in  these  new  lands  until  God  calls  me." 

"  But  the  Admiral  hath  indicated  no  purpose  to  make 
a  settlement  here  !  " 

"  The  Admiral  knoweth  not  what  he  would  do.  He 
dare  not  send  one  of  his  Captains  home  to  announce  his 
discovery,  himself  remaining,  lest  he  get  not  the  credit  he 
thinketh  his  due  ;  and  he  feareth  to  leave  one  of  them 
here,  lest  such  should  pursue  the  search  and  chance 
to  find  the  golden  marvels  in  his  absence.  In  that  case, 
he  well  knows  the  subordinate,  rather  than  himself, 
would  reap  the  more  substantial  reward.  If  he  had  less 
vanity  or  more  wisdom,  he  would  leave  to  one  of  them  the 
telling  of  his  story,  while  he  remained  to  find  what  far 
ther  research  might  unfold.  But  one  might  as  well  ex 
pect  a  peacock  to  allow  another  the  spreading  of  his 
tail!" 

"  For  that  very  reason,"  I  answered  with  a  laugh,  "  I 
think  we  shall  all  return  together." 

"The  absence  of  Martin  Alonzo  Pinzon,  who  is  the 
second  in  command  and,  in  case  of  his  departure,  would 
have  control  under  their  Majesties'  order,  giveth  the  Ad 
miral  great  concern.  He  cannot  well  leave  a  part  of  the 
company  without  leaving  one  of  his  ships — and  that  he 
will  never  do." 

"  What  then?  " 

"  Something  might  happen,"  said  the  Padre,  signifi 
cantly.  "  Remember  the  Admiral  be  an  Italian," 


278  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

"  To  the  Pinta,  for  instance  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  Martin  Alonzo  is  a  good  sailor,  and  commands  his 
own  ship.  Nothing-  will  happen  to  her  that  skill  and 
vigilance  can  prevent." 

"  The  same  be  true  also  of  the  Nina." 

"  Yes,  and  more  too  ;  the  Nina  is  the  most  seaworthy 
of  the  fleet — although  the  smallest." 

"  And  the  Santa  Maria  ?  " 

"The  Admiral  liketh  not  big  ships  and  every  one 
knoweth  she  is  but  a  sorry  tub." 

"  Juan  de  la  Cosa  is  her  owner." 

"  Aye,  but  the  Admiral  commands  her." 

"  So  you  think '' 

"  Never  mind,  my  son  ;  I  think  I  shall  remain  with  the 
Santa  Maria  on  this  side  the  Ocean  Sea." 

"Bejabers,  Padre,  I'm  wid  ye  there,"  said  Irish  Bill, 
coming  up  and  catching  the  last  remark,  "  only  I  stays 
whether  the  auld  gurl  does  or  not.  Though  I  haven't  a 
doubt  yer  right  about  her,  too.  D'ye  moind  how  she 
grins  with  her  ribs  every  time  she  gets  a  twist  through  the 
sails  pullin'  wan  way  an'  the  waves  anither,  in  spite  av 
the  sluicin'  av  hot  pitch  the  Admiral  gave  her  the  other 
day  ?  An'  her  bottom,  sure,  'twas  like  a  garden — ye  saw 
it  when  we  had  her  heeled  over — so  rotten  the  Admiral  was 
in  a  way  lest  she  should  fall  apart  afore  we  got  her  righted. 
The  only  fear  is  that  she  may  take  a  notion  to  stop 
floatin'  afore  we're  ready  to  go  ashore." 

"  And  where  would  you  choose  to  stop  of  all  the  islands 
we  have  seen  ?  "  1  asked. 

"  Divil  a  bit  av  difference  it  makes  to  me  !  The  hale 
country  suits  me,  foine  ;  an'  the  payple,  too.  Av  coorse 
they're  not  Christians,  but  they  seem  a  dale  kinder  an' 
peaceabler  than  if  they  was.  Sure,  nothin'  could  plaze 
me  betther  than  to  have  the  auld  tub  swamped,  and  we 
be  compilled  to  put  ashore  right  here  now,  onless  it  wud 
be  to  have  the  two  other  crafts  sunk  wid  her," 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA.  279 

"  And  not  have  any  of  them  return  to  Spain  ?  " 

"  Why  should  they?  Isn't  this  good  enough  fer  any 
body  ?  " 

"  Not  for  me." 

"  Ah,  bedad,  you're  thinkin'  av  yer  swateheart !  Here 
ye  could  have  a  hundred  !  An'  ef  the  ships  was  sunk, 
ye'd  jest  have  to  stay." 

"  Not  if  I  could  manage  to  save  an  auger  from  the 
wreck. " 

' '  An  auger  ?  " 

"  An  auger  and  an  ax." 

"  Phwat  the  divil  wud  ye  do  wid  them  ?  " 

"  Do  ?     Do  you  see  that  big  canoe  ?  " 

"  The  wan  eighty  fut  long  an  but  five  fut  abeam?  " 

"  Yes  ;  and  with  fifty  people  in  her." 

"  Av  coorse. " 

"With  a  freeboard  four  feet  high,  light  as  a  cork  and 
stout  as  an  oak  ?  " 

"  No  doubt." 

"  Well  now,  suppose  her  to  have  a  couple  of  masts 
with  shoulder-o'-mutton  sails,  a  good  heavy  keel,  three 
inches  of  sand  in  her  bottom,  a  rudder  swung  over  her 
stern  ;  loaded  with  calabashes  of  water  and  provisions, 
headed  for  Bristol — and  short  a  hand ;  d'ye  think  you'd 
ship  in  her  ?  " 

"  That  I  would,  me  lad, "  answered  Bill  heartily  ;  "and 
trust  her  to  bate  any  one  of  the  fleet  in  the  home  v'y'agc, 
too  !  Ye  see  Bristol  isn't  Spain.  An'  is  that  phwat  ye 
wud  be  doin'  if  ye  was  left  here  wid  an  auger  ?  " 

"  That  is  what  I  would  try  to  do." 

"Then  bedad  ye  won't  be  left,  or  av  ye  be,  there'll  be 
no  such  thing  as  an  auger  left  wid  ye  !  The  Admiral  will 
niver  lave  that  sort  av  a  navigator  this  side  the  say — if 
he  knows  it,  that  is. " 

We  all  laughed,    and  our  little  group  broke  up  as   the 


280  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

Admiral  came  over  the  side  and  the  order  to   make  sail 
was  given. 

A  month  before  the  Pinta  had  sailed  away  whither  we 
knew  not,  but  the  Admiral  feared  he  had  already  found 
the  Golden  Islands. 


So  we  sailed  away  from  Puerto  Santo,  in  search  of  Ba- 
beque  but  found  it  not,  though  out  of  the  Sunset  Sea  rose 
day  by  day  before  our  astonished  eyes  new  and  more 
wonderful  marvels.  Among  them  was  an  island  full  of 
mountains,  verdant  to  their  very  summits,  sloping  down 
ward  to  the  sea  ;  their  sides  black  with  luxuriant  growths, 
the  trees  tied  together  with  knotted  vines  ;  green  valleys 
intervening  with  sparkling  streams  of  sweet  waters  ; 
smooth  savannas  lay  like  fringes  between  the  mountain 
ranges  and  the  shore  was  dotted  with  fair  harbors.  In 
one  of  these,  land-locked  and  embayed  in  the  verdant 
mountains'  arms,  the  Admiral  declared  "  a  thousand  car 
avels  might  safely  ride."  How  it  swarmed  with  swift- 
darting  canoes  !  How  the  men  weary  with  their  journey- 
ings  clamored  for  rest  !  But  over  against  it  two  leagues 
away  was  a  rocky  isle.  Perchance  it  was  Babeque. 
Thither  we  sailed.  It  was  not  Babeque,  but  even  Babeque 
there  met  with  eclipse.  "Little  gold  was  obtained:  but 
an  old  man  indicated, '' so  the  Admiral  and  his  so-called 


282  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

interpreters,  who  knowing  his  desire,  heard  what  he  wished 
to  hear  or  pretended  to  do  so — so  they  thought  he  said 
with  words  and  signs  ;  but  the  Padre,  who  had  studied 
better  the  native  tongue,  thought  it  was  not  of  gold 
he  spoke  but  of  the  tradition  of  the  origin  of  his  people. 
However  this  may  be,  the  Admiral,  after  many  postur- 
ings  and  much  mimicry,  which  if  the  Indian  could 
understand  he  must  have  been  brighter  than  we  who 
looked  on,  declared  with  much  pious  thankfulness, 
that  God  had  "finally  showed  him  the  way  where  the 
gold  is."  He  said  the  Indian  had  told  him  that  if  he 
would  sail  "a  hundred  leagues  in  a  certain  course  he 
would  find  islands  where  gold  was  so  plentiful  that 
it  was  bolted  out  of  the  sands  on  the  seashore  with  a 
sieve,  and  one  island  which  was  all  gold  !  " 

The  men  listened  doubtingly  to  the  Admiral's  glowing 
tale.  They  had  heard  so  many  of  them — each  one  more 
marvelous  than  the  last !  And  all  had  been  direct  from 
God  !  The  new  myth  certainly  outcapped  the  Babeque 
fable,  but  why  should  they  follow  myths  forever  ?  Yonder 
was,  surely,  the  fairest  island  man  had  ever  seen.  The 
natives  called  it  Haite  and  Quisquisca.  We  named  it 
Espanola — though  it  was  fairer  far  than  Spain.  Why  not 
rest  there  awhile  ?  So  murmured  the  crews,  not  believing 
the  old  man's  story,  as  indeed  there  was  no  reason  that  they 
should.  How  should  they  know  the  Admiral  was  right  in 
his  interpretation,  or  how  could  the  old  savage  know  what 
a  hundred  leagues  might  mean  ?  Yet  I  have  heard  from 
one  who  was  with  those  who  made  lodgment  on  the  coast 
of  Veragua,  that  it  is  sober  truth  that  the  river's  sands  be 
indeed  sifted  for  golden  grains  and  that  this  coast  lieth  from 
Tortuga  about  in  the  direction,  and  not  far  from  the  dis 
tance,  the  old  Indian  declared.  None  hath  yet  discovered 
the  island  which  is  all  gold,  but  of  a  truth  there  have  been 
such  wonders  found  in  that  region  that  it  behooveth  none 
to  laugh  at  the  Admiral's  visions  or  at  the  stories  which  he 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA.  283 

thought  he  gathered  from  the  old  Indian's  lips.  But  noth 
ing  more  did  we  ever  hear  of  Babeque — golden  Babeque, 
where  they  hunted  in  the  shining  sands  by  torchlight,  for 
the  yellow  lumps  which  they  beat  into  bars  while  waiting 
for  another  night  to  come  !  O  fertile  fancy  of  the  Admiral 
of  the  Western  Seas  !  How  many  Babeques  did  it  not 
contain  ! 

But  the  crew  murmured.  Not  even  the  story  of  the 
island  of  Mantinina,  whose  people  were  all  women,  had 
any  charms  for  them.  It  had  been  vaguely  hinted  at, 
almost  from  the  outset,  but  now  when  it  took  definite 
form,  it  had  lost  all  power  to  charm.  The  women  of 
Espafiola  were  fair  enough,  and  no  picture  of  license  could 
be  drawn  which  exceeded  that  already  witnessed  on  this 
voyage.  So  back  we  sailed  to  Espafiola,  and  coasting 
along  its  shores  in  a  quiet  sea,  on  a  moonlight  night 
the  Santa  Maria  was  wrecked  !  It  was  the  Eve  of  the 
Nativity.  When  I  reached  the  deck  all  was  in  confusion, 
but  amidst  it  all  the  Fray  was  chanting  a  Christmas  hymn  ! 
A  boat  was  lowered  and  rowed  to  the  Nina.  The  masts 
of  the  Santa  Maria  were  cut  away.  The  waves  broke 
lazily  about  us.  The  moon  shone  brightly.  The  beach 
was  smooth  sand  and  there  was  not  a  capful  of  wind. 
But  the  seams  of  the  old  hulk  opened  and  with  many  a 
moan  the  good  ship  sank  into  its  yielding  bed,  the  first 
of  many  wrecks  upon  the  new  world's  shores. 

_When  the  morning  came  it  was  apparent  that  the  ship 
which  had  been  the  first  to  cross  the  Ocean  Sea  would 
never  float  again.  She  was  lying  on  her  port  side,  hardly 
a  bow-shot  from  the  shore,  the  waves  idly  lapping  her  up 
turned  side  and  creeping  in  at  the  seams  which  were  open 
ing  wider  and  wider  as  she  rocked  gently  in  her  sandy 
berth.  The  Admiral's  eye  took  in  her  condition  at  a 
glance,  as  he  sat  in  the  Nina's  boat.  Juan  de  la  Cosa  with 
a  dozen  of  the  crew  had  remained  on  board  the  stranded 
vessel.  She  was  his  ship.  The  savings  of  his  life  had 


284  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

been  invested  in  her,  and  the  sturdy  navigator  had  the 
best  of  reasons  for  clinging  to  the  hope  that  she  might  be 
repaired.  In  company  with  some  of  those  on  board  he 
had  already  been  over  her  side  and  taken  note  of  her  con 
dition.  To  him,  her  loss  meant  not  only  shipwreck  but 
insolvency. 

' '  I  doubt  if  I  ever  sail  in  mine  own  ship  again, ''  he  said, 
sadly,  as  he  stroked  his  gray  beard  on  his  way  to  meet 
the  Admiral,  who  clambered  on  board  by  the  forcstays 
which  still  held  to  the  mast  that  floated  alongside. 

"She  will  have  to  be  abandoned,"  said  the  Admiral. 

"I  think  she  might  be  righted,"  answered  the  owner, 
protestingly. 

"Well,  if  she  could?" 

"  If  she  were  lightened  we  might  get  her  ashore  and 
repair  the  damage." 

The  Admiral  shook  his  head. 

"Even  if  it  were  possible "  he  began, 

"  You  know  we  have  plenty  of  tools  and  extra  rigging," 
interposed  the  other. 

"  It  would  take  too  long.  Who  knows  but  Martin 
Alonzo  Pinzon  be  already  well  on  his  way  to  Spain.  I  can 
not  wait  here  to  make  over  an  old  ship." 

"  Let  me  remain  then.  I  will  get  her  ashore,  repair, 
and  refit  her." 

"And  then  ?" 

"Then  I  will  cruise  about,  take  possession  of  new  lands 
in  your  name,  and  have  all  the  coasts  and  islands  here 
about  explored  and  charted  against  your  return. " 

"And  the  gold?  " 

"All  that  is  found  shall  be  faithfully  reported." 

"No  doubt,  no  doubt,"  said  the  Admiral,  "but  how 
much  will  be  collected  ?  Thou  wilt  sail  up  and  down 
and  find  many  new  coasts,  but  the  mines  are  not  upon 
the  shore,  they  are  inland.  Who  will  find  the  mines  while 
thou  art  making  the  discoveries  ?  Besides  there  is  no  use 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA.  285 

of  going  farther.  This  is  the  place  we  are  to  stop.  Yon 
der  is  the  gap  in  the  mountains  where  the  mines  are 
hidden."  He  pointed  to  a  notch  in  the  mountain-line  of 
the  interior  as  he  spoke. 

"  Did  I  not  tell  thee  that  the  king  of  this  country  yester 
day  pointed  to  yon  gap,  as  the  way  to  that  country  where 
they  have  plates  of  gold  as  large  as  his  arms  could  enfold 
and  golden  banners  larger  than  my  standard?  I  tell  thee 
I  want  no  ships  nor  navigators  to  remain  here.  What  I 
want  is  men  to  stay  and  gather  up  the  gold  and  seize  and 
work  the  mines,  while  I  return  to  Spain  and  impart  to 
their  Majesties  the  wonders  we  have  found." 

"  So  you  will  abandon  her?  " 

"Not  at  all,  my  good  Pilot,"  answered  the  Admiral 
significantly.  "If  I  should  abandon  her  here,  lying  on 
her  side  in  the  sands,  who  knows  but  the  people  I  shall 
leave  might  become  so  rich  that  they  would  float  her  off, 
load  her  with  gold,  and  set  sail  for  some  other  land  ? 
Dom  Joao  would  be  rare  pleased  to  see  her  coming  up  the 
Tagus  with  a  ton  of  gold  on  board  !  " 

' '  A  ton  of  gold  !  " 

"Aye,  a  ton  !  Why,  how  long  thinkest  thou  it  would 
take  to  gather  a  ton  of  gold  in  that  Cibao  of  which  the 
cacique  told  me  yesterday  ?  From  what  he  says,  it  is  no 
difficult  matter  for  a  man  to  get  a  pound  a  day  !  " 

"What  does  he  know  about  a  pound?  " 

"Nothing,  of  course,  but  would  not  one  of  the  cala 
bashes  we  drank  from  hold  a  pound  ?  " 

"And  did  he  say  a  man  could  gather  a  calabash  full  of 
gold  in  a  day  ?  " 

"More — much  more!"  exclaimed  the  Admiral,  excit 
edly  ;  "at  least,  that  was  what  I  understood  him  to  say. 
But  even  at  a  pound  apiece  it  would  take  but  fifty  days 
for  forty  men  to  gather  a  ton.  It  will  require  at  least  three 
months  for  me  to  go  and  return.  In  that  time,  they  should 
have  collected  two  ship  loads  or  more.  No,  no,  my  good 


286 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 


Pilot,  I  am  not  going-  to  leave  a  ship  here,  even  With  a 
broken  back, to  tempt  any  one  to  run  away  with  my  gold." 

"What  wilt  thou  do  with  her  ?" 

' '  Do  with  her  ?  Why  break  her  up,  man  !  And  with  her 
ribs  build  a  tower  on  yonder  spur  of  the  hill  the  river  winds 
about,  mount  her  guns  on  it,  and  leave  forty  men  to  gather 
gold  against  my  return  ! 


V 


"But  she  is  my  property,  my  ship,"  remonstrated  the 
Master. 

"She  was  thy  ship,  good  Master  la  Cosa  !  Now,  she  is 
a  hulk  lying  on  the  shore  of  an  island  of  which  I  am  Gov 
ernor  and  Captain-General,  as  well  as  Viceroy  of  their 
Majesties.  She  is,  therefore,  subject  to  my  disposal, to  do 
with  as  I  please." 

"But  the  loss — thou  wilt  not  take  all  that  I  have  fro  in 
me?" 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA.  287 

"Thou  hast  only  thyself  to  blame.  It  was  during-  thy 
watch  that  she  sunk." 

"But  you  yourself  said " 

"No  matter  if  I  di:l  think  special  care  unnecessary.  It 
was  thy  watch  and  thou  dost  not  need  be  told  a  sailor's 
duty.  I  might  hang  thce  for  neglect  if  I  were  disposed 
to  be  severe.  An'  I  should  report  the  matter  to  their 
Majesties,  thou  wilt  be  fortunate  to  'scape  punishment. " 

"  But  if  thou  usest  her  timbers  to  build  a  fort,  thou 
shouldst  at  least  pay  me  for  her." 

"Pay  thee  I  That  I  will,  good  Pilot.  Thou  shalt  have 
ten  pounds  of  gold.  Will  that  suffice  for  thy  old,  rotten 
hulk  ?  " 

"Your  Excellency  will  give  me  a  bond  ?  " 

"A  bond!  What  needs  it?  I  give  thee  my  word — the 
word  of  the  Viceroy  of  the  Indies  ; — is  not  that  enough  ?  " 

"  I  suppose  I  am  to  remain  here  ?  " 

"Thou  !  Remain  here  ?  Juan  de  la  Cosa, who  knoweth 
every  part  of  a  ship  from  crow-nest  to  kelson  as  a  mother 
knoweth  her  children  !  Whose  hands  are  skillful  with 
every  tool  ;  who  hath  sailed  in  every  sea  and  charted 
every  shore  ;  who  knoweth  the  heavens  like  an  astrologer  ; 
who  could  find  his  way  from  Guinea  to  Thule  without 
chart  or  compass  !  Thou  remain  here  with  tools  and  sails 
and  rigging1  ;  with  these  wondrous  forests  waiting  to  fur 
nish  masts  and  ribs  and  planks  for  thee?  Thou  remain 
within  forty  miles  of  my  Chersonesus  while  I  go  to  be 
absent  I  know  not  how  long  ?  Truly,  my  good  Pilot, 
their  Majesties  had  done  but  ill  to  trust  to  my  discretion 
if  I  were  so  simple  as  leave  thee  here  with  a  crew 
but  ill-disposed  at  best  to  return  to  the  land  from  whence 
they  came  ! 

"  Do  not  think  it,  good  Master.  Them  that  I  shall  leave 
will  have  as  little  liking  for  the  sea  as  a  cat,  or  else  have 
not  skill  enough  to  build  a  ship  or  wit  enough  to  navigate 
one.  It  would  be  folly  to  trust  them  with  my  gold  and 


288  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

such  a  man  as  thou  art  under  their  control.  Believe  me, 
thou  wouldst  never  see  Spain  again,  and  thy  wife  would 
miss  thee  sorely." 

"But  your  Excellency  also  mig-ht  be  unfortunate.  Re 
member,  there  are  eight  hundred  leagues  of  rough  water 
between  us  and  the  mouth  of  the  Guadalquivir." 

"Not  so  many  as  that,  good  Master,  but  enough  ;  and 
I  alone  know  how  they  may  be  overpassed.  But  have  no 
fear.  The  Holy  Trinity  have  me  in  their  keeping.  Nought 
will  happen  to  me  until  I  have  taken  gold  enough  out  of 
Cibao  yonder  to  equip  the  armies  of  Christendom  for  the 
recovery  of  the  Holy  Sepulcher.  And  I  shall  be  their 
leader.  Do  you  hear,  Juan  de  la  Cosa  ? — I  shall  be  their 
leader  !  For  this  have  I  been  chosen  among  the  sons  of 
men,  '  the  most  favored  of  God  since  the  days  of  David. ' 
Dost  thou  doubt  it,  good  Pilot  ?  Hath  He  not  led  me 
over  the  Ocean  Sea,  which  no  man  ever  dared  attempt  to 
cross  before  ?  Hath  He  not  given  all  these  lands  into  my 
hands,  and  all  that  may  be  discovered  in  these  seas,  to 
rule  over  as  the  Viceroy  of  their  Majesties — I  and  my  heirs 
male,  forever  ?  Is  not  the  wealth  of  these  lands  all  mine, 
save  the  paltry  tribute  to  the  crown  of  Castile  ?  Is  it  not 
clear  that  God  designs  all  this  for  the  rescue  of  the  Holy 
Sepulcher,  to  which  I  have  devoted  all  my  wealth  and 
power  ?  Remember,  the  time  grows  short  in  which  this 
must  be  done.  'Only  a  hundred  and  fifty-five  years 
remain  before  the  end  of  all  things  cometh,  and  ere  that 
time  the  Infidels  must  be  dispossessed,  in  order  that  the 
elect  may  be  gathered  at  Jerusalem  and  the  temple  rebuilt 
in  more  than  its  ancient  glory.'  How  shall  this  be  done  ? 
I  shall  furnish  the  gold  to  arm,  equip  and  supply  the  hosts. 
How  else  can  it  be  done  ?  Who  else  is  there  that  hath 
any  hope  of  such  resources  ?  It  is  for  this  purpose  I  have 
been  sent  to  discover  these  new  lands  and  virgin  treas 
ures.  " 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSE T  SEA .  289 

"But  thou  wilt  soon  return,  and  it  would  take  many 
months  to  build  a  ship." 

"One  would  think,  good  Master,  thou  wert  anxious  to 
remain. " 

"  I  would  have  something  for  my  loss, "  said  the  Pilot, 
laying  his  hand  impressively  upon  the  bulwark  on  which 
he  leaned. 

"Why,  so  thou  shalt !  Have  I  not  promised  thee  gold 
for  thy  ship  ?  " 

"But  'promises  do  not  butter  parsnips,'  your  Excel 
lency." 

"An'  I  were  not  afraid  thou  wouldst  build  a  ship,  thou 
shouldst  stay,"  said  the  Admiral,  testily. 

"That  would  require  many  months,"  persisted  the 
•  Master. 

"  Many  months  !  Give  me  half  a  dozen  willing  helpers 
and  I  will  engage  within  a  single  one  to  make  out  of 
what  lies  ready  to  one's  hand  here  on  these  shores,  as 
stanch  a  craft  as  ever  carried  sail." 

"How  wouldst  thou  do  it  ?  " 

"  Look  ye,  good  Master,  I  have  not  been  asleep.  I 
knew  thy  ship  was  rotten  ;  the  Pinta  and  the  Nina  liable 
at  any  moment  to  give  me  the  slip,  and  I  gave  heed  to 
"all  I  saw,  that  might  offer  means  for  our  return  should  it 
become  necessary  to  make  a  craft  of  our  own  ;  and  I 
assure  thee  now,  that  were  the  Nina  to  hoist  her  sails 
this  moment  and  lay  her  course  for  Spain,  it  would  go 
hard  if  I  did  not  overhaul  her  ere  she  came  into  port." 

The  Admiral  spoke  with  the  confidence  of  one  who  has 
no  doubt  of  his  ability  to  verify  his  words.  The  Master 
shook  his  head. 

"  Thou  still  doubtest  ?     Seest  thou  yon  canoes  ?  " 

My  heart  came  into  my  mouth.  Leaning  over  the 
bulwark  at  a  little  distance,  I  had  been  an  unheeded 
listener  to  all  that  passed  between  these  officers.  Had 
the  Admiral  come  to  the  same  conclusion  as  myself  in 

19 


296  OUT  Of  TIfE  SUNSET  SEA. 

regard  to  these  savage  crafts  ?  But  I  was  soon  to  blush 
with  shame  at  the  weakness  of  my  conception  in  compari 
son  with  the  device  his  fertile  brain  had  hit  upon. 

"  Seest  thou  those  canoes,  good  Master?'7  he  repeated 
with  significant  emphasis.  "  Hast  thou  ever  noted  how 
strong  and  staunch  they  be  ?  I  know  not  how  the  savages 
do  hollow  them  so  evenly  with  only  fire  and  the  rude  tools 
they  have  ;  but  suppose  thou  wert  to  lay  two  or  three  of 
them  alongside  each  other  ;  fit  a  solid  rathe  between 
them  from  stem  to  stern  and  another  within  the  outer 
gunnels  ;  pin  these  to  the  bulwarks  and  then  lay  over 
the  whole,  crosswise,  a  decking  of  those  slender  pines 
which  grow  as  straight  as  a  measuring  pole,  in  Cuba, 
forty  and  fifty  feet  tall  and  hardly  thicker  than  your  thigh, 
pinning  each  to  the  rathes  beneath  ;  a  course  of  smaller 
ones  above  with  a  little  cotton  and  pitch  between  to 
make  it  watertight,  the  whole  held  stiff  by  a  split  log 
pinned  lengthwise  on  either  side — what  would  be  lacking  ? 
A  mast,  a  shoulder-of-mutton  sail  such  as  the  English  use, 
and  a  tiller  hung  over  the  stern,  and  thou  wouldst  have 
a  craft  stiffer  and  stauncher,  aye,  and  swifter,  too,  as  I  be 
lieve,  than  any  of  our  fleet. " 

"An'  wouldst  thou  'tempt  the  Ocean  Sea  in  such  a 
craft  ? " 

"  Would  I  ?  If  I  had  not  determined  to  leave  the  better 
part  of  our  crew  here  to  gather  gold  and  cut  each  other's 
throats — as  belike  they  will — I  should  begin  the  making  of 
such  an  one  before  the  sun  goes  down  to-day.  Next  to 
having  found  the  way  tolnd,  would  be  the  glory  of  crossing 
the  Ocean  Sea  in  a  craft  builded  out  of  the  products  of 
the  new  land  !  "  said  the  Admiral  exultingly. 

"By  my  faith,"  exclaimed  Juan  de  la  Cosa,  "I  would 
rather  go  in  the  Nina,  even  if  it  be  a  little  overcrowded." 

It  was  a  lesson  not  meant  for  me,  but  which  I  had 
reason  afterward  to  be  full  grateful  I  had  learned. 

Then  the  Admiral  gave  an  exhibition  of  his  wonderful 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 


291 


power  of  execution.  Before  nightfall  the  whole  lading  of 
the  Santa  Maria  was  on  shore,  well-housed  under  canvas, 
which,  with  four  men  under  my  command,  I  was  set  to 
guard.  A  thousand  natives  had  helped  us  with  willing 
hands  at  the  command  of  their  cacique,  and  I  doubt  if  any 
trifle  had  been  taken  by  them.  A  hundred  canoes  passed 
swiftly  back  and  forth,  while  men  and  women  swam  to 
and  from  the  wreck  bearing  lighter  articles.  Next  day  we 
began  to  break  the  vessel  up  and  build  the  tower  upon  a  hill ' 
overlooking  a  little  bay  at  the  mouth  of  a  small  river.  In 
the  mean  time,  there  was  feasting  and  reveling  with  the 
natives,  though  the  Admiral  took  good  care  that  few  of 
them  were  allowed  to  taste  wine,  and  that  our  men  were 
not  permitted  to  stray  far  from  shore. 

On  the  morning  of  the  second  day  Rodrigo  de  Esco- 
bedo,  the  Royal  Notary,  was  ordered  to  take  the  Fray  in 
a  canoe  which  the  cacique  furnished,  with  Indians  to 
manage  it,  and  go  along  the  shore  in  search  of  the  Pinta, 
which  it  was  rumored  among  the  natives  lay  in  harbor 
some  small  distance  to  the  eastward.  He  was  directed 
on  no  account  to  be  absent  more  than  one  day.  It 
was  a  needless  caution,  for  no  man  had  ever  greater 
dread  of  the  sea  than  the  Royal  Notary,  and  as  he 
crouched  in  the  stern  of  the  canoe,  fearful  by  the  least 
motion  of  his  body  to  upset  it,  one  could  have  sworn 
that  his  voyage  would  be  a  short  one.  So  we  were  not 
surprised  when  at  sundown  he  returned  without  having 
found  what  he  was  sent  to  discover. 

By  this  time,  it  was  known  that  forty  men  were  to  be 
left  upon  the  island  and  almost  all  the  crew  of  the 
wrecked  ship  were  anxious  to  be  of  this  number.  There 
was  not  only  the  chance  of  obtaining  great  wealth,  but 
the  delights  of  living  in  these  regions,  as  well  as,  with 
many,  the  fear  of  poverty  or  punishment  if  they  returned. 
However  it  was,  some  for  one  motive  and  some  for  an 
other,  desired  their  names  to  be  enrolled  with  those  who 


292  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

were  to  abide  in  Espanola.  On  the  other  hand,  my  anx 
iety  to  return  had  constantly  increased,  so  that  I  im 
plored  Juan  de  la  Cosa  to  intercede  with  the  Admiral  that 
I  might  not  be  included  among  those  who  were  to  be 
left  here. 

"It  is  useless,"  said  the  Master,  shaking  his  head.  "I 
have  already  done  what  I  might  in  that  direction  ;  but 
the  Admiral  is  especially  determined  thou  shalt  remain." 

"What  reason  can  he  have?  " 

"He  says  that  thou  art  an  Englishman  of  good  family 
and  acquaint,  not  only  with  his  brother,  Bartolomeo, 
who  he  fears  is  already  embarked  on  a  similar  venture, 
but  also  with  all  the  navigators  of  the  port  of  Bristol.  So 
he  avers,  not  without  reason,  I  admit,  that  if  thou  dost 
once  set  foot  on  British  soil,  thou  wilt  not  be  content 
until  thou  art  embarked  with  a  crew  of  British  seamen 
to  despoil  him  of  what  he  hath  discovered." 

"  Does  he  think  he  can  keep  me  here  forever  ?  "  I  asked 
indignantly. 

"  I  doubt,"  said  the  Master,  dryly,  "  if  he  expects  them 
that  remain  to  live  always.  Thou  knowest  what  man 
ner  of  man  the  Alguazil  de  Arana  is  ?  " 

"A  drunken  brute  !  " 

"Aye,  and  a  vengeful  one.     And  Pedro  Gutierrez?  " 

"A  much  decayed  courtier." 

"  Thou  speakest  truly.     And  Rodrigo  de  Escobedo  ? " 

"  A  cowardly  scrivener.      But  why  speak  of  these?  " 

"They  are  to  command  those  left  behind  ;  and — well, 
thou  knowest  those  they  will  have  under  them." 

"What  a  prospect !  "  I  exclaimed. 

"The  Admiral  saith  he  will  make  no  haste  to  return," 
continued  the  Master,  significantly.  "  He  hath  directed 
me  to  ask  thee  for  the  little  book  of  courses  and  distances 
thou  didst  keep  on  the  voyage  hither." 

"I  have  not  seen  it  since  I  left  the  Santa  Maria,"  I  re 
plied,  which  was  quite  true,  since  I  had  placed  it  inside 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA.  293 

my  corselet  when  I  came  on  shore  to  take  charge  of  the 
lading. 

"I  feared  it  might  be  so,"  was  the  grave  reply,  "and 
I  have  brought  thee  here  the  compass  of  my  ship.  It  is 
my  own,  and  I  count  it  not  the  puri  of  a  good  sailor  to 
leave  faithful  shipmates  in  an  unknown  land,  with  only  the 
chance  of  one  poor  ship  surviving  the  perils  of  a  voyage 
never  before  undertaken.  If  worst  comes  to  worst,  it 
may  be  of  service  to  thee." 

"Thou  wilt  take  letters  for  me?  "  I  asked,  in  despair. 

"Assuredly;  and  the  Admiral  bade  me  say  he  would 
take  whatever  message  thou  wouldst  send  to  the  Dona 
Juana  de  la  Torre." 

"He  is  most  gracious,"  I  answered  bitterly.  "I  care 
little  for  the  Dona  Juana,  who  will  listen  only  to  his  words  ; 
but  I  would  be  pleased  if  thou  wouldst  take  letters  for  me 
to  the  Queen's  Confessor  and  the  Chevalier  Gonsalvo  de 
Cordova,  and  see  that  they  be  delivered." 

"That  I  will,  my  son.  Knowest  thou  these  great 
people  ? " 

"Thou  wilt  see." 

"Mayhap,  if  the  Admiral  knew  that  he  would  relent. " 

"Or  forbid  thee  to  bear  my  message,"  I  responded. 

"That  might  be.  My  heart  misgives  me,  but  I  trust 
thou  wilt  come  safe  out  of  this.  Thou  heardst  the  Ad 
miral's  plan  for  making  a  ship  of  these  canoes  ?  " 

I  nodded  assent. 

"  I  thought  thou  wert  listening.  It  seemeth  not  wholly 
impracticable,  though  I  should  never  have  thought  of  it. 
What  a  wonderful  man  he  is — for  ideas  !  Though  they 
do  not  always  comport  with  what  seemeth  the  plain  facts, 
they  be  ever  such  as  none  other  would  have  conceived." 


THAT  which  it  now  behooves  me  to  tell,  I  had  gladly 
left  unwritten,  were  it  not,  in  some  part,  at  least,  necessary 
to  a  due  understanding  of  that  which  remaineth  to  be  told, 
both  of  the  present  voyage  and  one  that  did  come  after 
wards.  It  would  ill  beseem  me  to  assume  anything  like 
prudery,  or  make  pretence  of  being  better  than  my  fellows  ; 
but  I  do  hold  it  unseemly  that  any  man  should  boast  of 
that  he  ought  not  to  have  done.  I  can  truly  say  that  what 
did  happen  was  not  wholly  of  my  own  seeking,  though  I 
will  admit  that  had  I  known  how  the  adventure  would 
terminate,  there  be  little  reason  to  believe  it  would  have 
happened  otherwise. 

Save  the  Padre,  there  was  no  man  of  our  crew  who  did 
not,  at  least,  "  make  eyes  "  at  some  of  the  Indian  maidens 
who  thronged  about  us  in  the  scantiest  of  costumes  and 
with  the  kindliest  of  smiles.  Absorbed  with  my  duty  of 
stowing  the  dunnage,  as  it  was  brought  ashore,  and  keep 
ing  watch  over  it  when  it  was  under  cover,  I  had  perhaps 
taken  less  part  in  these  amorous  episodes  than  most  of  the 
others,  though  I  will  not  deny  that  I  noted  without  dis 
pleasure  that  the  regard  of  one  who  seemed  to  be  the  object 
of  not  a  little  reverence  on  the  part  of  her  companions  and 
was  the  comeliest  of  all  the  native  women,  appeared  to  be 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 


295 


fixed  especially  on  me.  Some  of  my  shipmates  laughed 
about  her  manifest  preference,  but  I  was  too  busy  to  pay 
much  heed  to  it  during  the  day,  and  when  the  darkness 
fell,  which  it  does  very  suddenly  in  those  latitudes,  she 
and  her  attendants  disappeared. 

When  I  awoke  the  next  morning  it  was  to  find  them  that 
had  the  morning  watch  asleep,  while  the  young  girl  who  had 
attracted  my  attention  the  day  before,  was  kneeling  at  my 
feet  and  gazing  into  my  face  with  a  look  of  unmistakable 
ardor.  She  had  laid  a  wreath,  fresh  with  dew,  upon  my 
head,  the  odor  of  which  no  doubt  awakened  me.  I  lay 
a  moment  watching  her,  then  sprang  forward,  caught  her 
in  my  arms,  drew  her  to  me  and  kissed  her.  Instantly, 
her  attendants,  a  half-dozen  young  girls,  darted  toward  me 
with  smothered  cries  of  alarm.  Their  fear  was  ground 
less.  Hardly  had  my  lips  touched  her  check  when  she 
twisted  herself  from  my  embrace  and  fled  with  her 
maidens  into  the  forest,  which  was  yet  dark,  but  whose 
feathered  songsters  were  just  breaking  into  that  flood  of 
sound,  as  often  harsh  and  discordant  as  melodious,  which 
is  such  a  surprise  to  one  accustomed  to  the  modera 
tion  of  singing  birds  in  more  temperate  climes,  when  he 
first  hears  the  vehemence  of  this  greeting  to  the  day  burst 
out  of  the  somber  heart  of  a  tropical  forest. 

Greatly  amused  at  the  romantic  incident,  I  went  to  wake 
the  Padre,  but  found  him  already  at  his  devotions  in  a 
curious  nook  between  two  great  rocks  which  stood  up  like 
signal  towers  beside  the  sea,  with  only  a  long  narrow  aisle 
stretching  east  and  west  between  them,  paved  with  clean 
white  sand.  Across  this  at  a  little  distance  from  the  east 
ern  end,  rose  another  rock  which  towered  above  them  both 
and  extended  a  little  beyond  them  on  either  side.  It  was 
round  the  point  to  the  eastward  of  our  landing-place,  and 
had  been  chosen  by  the  Padre  as  a  place  for  prayer  and 
meditation,  both  because  of  its  seclusion  and  some  fancied 
resemblance  to  the  transept  of  a  church.  These  rocks 


296  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

were  almost  milk-white,  of  a  flinty  character,  with  dark, 
gray  seams  running'  through  them  which  reminded  one 
of  the  leaden  jointures  in  cathedral  windows,  so  that,  we 
named  them  the  Cathedral  Rocks.  As  long  as  we  remained 
in  the  island  this  was  the  favorite  place  of  meeting  for  the 
Padre,  Irish  Bill,  and  myself.  Here  we  were  quite  hidden, 
and  from  the  intersection  of  the  aisles  could  see  any  one 
approaching  from  any  direction.  We  buried  the  compass 
of  the  Santa  Maria  in  this  place,  and  to  prevent,  especially 
the  keen-eyed  natives,  from  observing  the  displacement 
of  the  sands,  built  over  it  a  fire,  the  brands  and  ashes  of 
which  effectually  served  for  its  concealment. 

Here  I  found  the  Padre,  and  after  joining  in  his  orisons 
and  taking  a  plunge  in  the  sea,  told  him  of  the  dusky  Ruth 
who  had  waked  me. 

"  It  doth  misgive  me,  my  son,  that  trouble  may  result 
from  this,"  he  said.  "  Knovvest  thou  not  that  the  damsel 
is  one  of  the  chief  women  of  the  tribe — the  king's  favorite 
sister  ?  " 

"But  I  did  her  no  harm,"  I  answered,  "and,  indeed, 
offered  her  none.  Surely  a  kiss  was  no  more  than  carry 
ing  out  her  own  jest  in  laying  the  wreath  upon  my 
head  !  " 

"I  meant  not  that,"  said  the  Padre,  "but  rather  the 
reverse.  I  noted  how  on  yesterday,  she  had  only  eyes 
for  thee.  Suppose  this  escapade  should  come  to  the  ear 
of  her  brother,  the  cacique  ?  Belike  he  might  take  it  ill 
that  she  should  show  such  preference. " 

"Then  he  should  keep  the  lass  at  home,"  I  responded 
with  a  shrug. 

"You  must  remember,  my  son,  these  simple  creatures 
are  not  like  ourselves.  I  wonder  not  that  she  should 
prefer  thee,  for,  indeed,  thou  art  young  and  comely, 
and  despite  thy  dark  hair,  far  whiter  than  we  Spaniards, 
whose  skins  seem  to  have  caught  a  Moorish  tint  either 
from  the  hot  sun  or  mere  proximity  to  our  Paynim  neigh- 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA.  297 

bors.  And  it  is  the  whiteness  of  our  skins  that  most  im 
presses  them.  They  think  we  are  gods  who  cover  our 
bodies  with  clothes  to  keep  them  from  beholding  our  per 
fections.  Heaven  grant  they  learn  not  from  the  blackness 
of  our  hearts  our  many  imperfections  !  Be  wise,  my  son, 
and  keep  thine  own  honor  ;  thereby  it  may  be  that  thou 
wilt  find  safety  and  be  held  back  from  wrong." 

The  trumpet  sounded  the  assembly,  and  we  strolled 
back  to  our  morning  meal.  After  that  was  over,  we  began 
the  building  of  the  tower  out  of  the  timbers  of  the  Santa 
Maria,  which  indeed  were  so  eaten  tip  with  that  strange 
worm  we  named  the  teredo,  which  doth  especially  abound 
in  these  seas,  that  they  would  hardly  hold  together  to  be 
moved.  One  shuddered  to  think  what  might  have  been 
the  consequence  had  we  attempted  to  recross  the  stormy 
seas  with  her.  It  was  fortunate  enough  that  she  stranded 
here,  though  they  were  not  many  who  escaped  doom 
thereby. 

The  first  thing  to  be  done  that  day  was  the  bringing 
ashore  of  the  bombards  and  culverins  of  the  wrecked  ship  to 
be  mounted  in  the  fort  we  were  to  build  of  her  old  bones. 
Every  one  was  good-natured,  and  here  I  will  say,  that 
there  must  have  been  something  in  the  air  of  those  new 
lands  or  in  the  character  of  the  people,  which  affected  our 
crews  with  unwonted  joviality.  They  were  more  like 
children  than  men  in  their  sportiveness,  and  while  there 
was  no  little  discontent  there  was  a  jollity  which  over 
balanced  it,  so  that  all  did  their  duty  pleasantly.  If  they 
did  it  in  a  careless  way,  it  is  hardly  to  be  wondered  at  ; 
but.  I  fancy  that  if  the  shores  had  been  bleak,  the  climate 
harsh,  or  the  inhabitants  revengeful,  there  would  have 
been  quite  another  story  to  be  told  about  our  crews.  I 
was,  by  odds,  the  strongest  man  in  the  ship's  company. 
I  had  always  been  strong,  and  my  experience  as  a  soldier, 
most  of  the  time  cased  in  heavy  armor,  had  knit  my 
joints  and  toughened  my  sinews.  In  our  games  on  ship- 


298 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 


board  this  had  been  a  source  of  amusement  and  gratifi 
cation.  Now,  when  they  had  brought  in  the  boat  our 
heaviest  bombard,  until  they  were  scarce  two  lengths 
from  the  beach,  they  were  afraid  to  run  the  boat  on  shore, 
lest  being  weakened  by  what  it  had  encountered,  it  might 
be  stove  by  the  weight  of  the  bombard.  So  the  crew 

backed  their  oars 
and  a  number  of 
the  men,  with  a 
crowd  of  Indians 
looking  on,  made 
as  if  they  would  lift 
out  the  unwieldy 
piece  of  metal, 
standing  where  the 
water  came  about 
to  the  middle,  and 
bring  it  ashore. 
But  it  was  a  diffi 
cult  thing  to  lift, 
being  of  such  shape 
that  only  two  or 
three  could  get  a 
fair  hold  of  it  at 
one  time,  and  they 
were  like  to  drop  it 
in  the  water  until 
Sancho  Ruiz,  who 
had  command  of  the  boat's  crew,  called  out  to  me  in  a 
jocular  tone,  to  come  and  bring  it  to  the  shore.  And  I, 
in  the  same  mood,  responded  : 

"An'    thou   hadst    in    the  boat    men    enough  to  put  it 

squarely  on  my  shoulder,  I  would  like  no  better  sport  !  " 

Then  there   was  much   bantering  back   and  forth,  and 

many    wagers    laid,    the  upshot  being  that    I  did    wade 

out  to  the  boat,  the  crew  put  the  cannon  on  my  shoulder, 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA.  299 

and  I  not  only  brought  it  to  the  shore,  but  did  also  carry 
it  up  the  hill  to  the  place  chosen  for  the  fort,  the  whole 
company  following  and  applauding.  Then,  because  I 
had  done  this  which  none  of  them  could,  my  shipmates 
did  insist  in  catching  me  up  on  their  shoulders  and  run 
ning  back  with  me  to  the  landing.  It  was  only  a  frolic, 
such  as  men  who  are  strong  and  have  good  spirits,  like 
now  and  then  to  engage  in.  But  the  Indians,  of  whom 
there  were  many  standing  by,  looked  on  in  wonder  both 
at  the  weight  I  had  borne  and  the  attention  paid  me  by 
my  shipmates,  not  knowing  that  this  was  done  in  sport. 
It  is  hardly  strange  that  they  should  have  misconceived 
its  nature,  because  among  them,  though  strength  as  well 
as  skill  be  highly  honored,  there  be  few  who  are  really 
strong  ;  and  though  many  tried,  not  one  of  them  could 

lift   the  bombard  from   the  place  where  I  had  thrown  it 

« 

down.  Perhaps  nothing  could  have  occurred  so  likely 
to  produce  the  result  which  followed  as  this  unintended 
act.  All  day  I  was  the  object  of  marked  attention  on 
their  part,  though  I  did  not  again  see  the  pretty  maid  of 
my  morning's  adventure. 

Toward  the  close  of  the  day,  Juan  de  la  Cosa  told  me 
that  the  Admiral,  who  was  feasting  with  Guacanagari,  the 
cacique  of  that  country,  had  sent  him  to  relieve  me  of 
guard  over  the  lading  and  say  that  he  gave  me  leave  to 
accept  the  cacique's  invitation  to  visit  the  village,  about 
a  league  distant,  and  remain  as  long  as  I  might  choose. 
The  Master  said  the  king,  for  such  the  Admiral  had  decided 
the  cacique  to  be,  had  sho\vn  himself  very  friendly,  and 
though  a  savage,  was  a  man  of  high  and  chivalric 
notions.  They  could  not  make  out,  because  of  their  im 
perfect  knowledge  of  the  language,  what  was  the  specific 
reason  of  his  preference  for  me  or  why  he  so  particularly 
urged  that  I  should  visit  the  village,  which  he  had  been 
very  chary  of  allowing  others  to  do.  However,  he  was 
satisfied  that  no  harm  would  befall  me,  though  he  advised 


300  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

that  I  should  wear  my  armor  and  by  no  means  omit  to 
take  my  sword.  It  occurred  to  him  as  probable  that  the 
king,  who  had  witnessed  my  strength,  might  wish  to  have 
me  bring  in  certain  great  masses  of  gold,  of  which  he  had 
frequently  spoken,  which  he  might  deem  too  heavy  for 
another  to  carry.  If  this  should  be  the  case,  the  Admiral 
desired  me  to  know  that  I  would  be  properly  rewarded  for 
such  service. 

My  lips  must  have  curled  at  the  characteristic  Italian 
cunning  of  this  vague  promise,  as  I  said  : 

"  His  Excellency  said  nothing  about  what  the  reward 
would  be,  did  he  ?  " 

"  That  he  could  not,"  answered  la  Cosa  with  a  smile 
hiding  under  his  full  gray  beard,  "  untilthe  gold  had  been 
duly  weighed  and  appraised,  you  know." 

"  Perhaps  he  would  even  allow  me  to  sail  back  to  Spain 
on  the  Nina  ?  " 

"  More  likely  he  might  think  thou  oughtest  to  remain 
here  and  get  more  gold." 

"  Ah  !     Thinkest  thou  so  ? " 

"  Well,  thou  hast  an  indefinite  leave  of  absence  to  visit 
the  king,  and  unless  thou  comest  back  with  a  bountiful 
supply  of  gold,  I  do  not  think  the  Admiral  careth  very 
greatly  how  long  the  visit  may  be.  If  thou  shouldst 
remain  on  the  island,  the  acquaintance  of  the  chief  may 
be  of  advantage.  His  people  have  abundance  of 
canoes,"  he  added,  significantly. 

I  signified  my  assent  and  a  couple  of  Indians  who  had 
accompanied  the  Master,  bounded  off  into  the  forest,  evi 
dently  to  carry  word  of  my  acceptance.  I  thought  they 
went  to  the  king,  but  the  Master  informed  me  that  the  ca 
cique  was  at  that  moment  dining  with  the  Admiral  on  board 
the  Nina.  However,  I  had  hardly  donned  my  armor  and 
made  ready  for  the  journey  when  the  runners  returned,  and 
with  them  two  or  three  score  more,  all  very  jubilant,  and 
more  boisterous  than  I  had  ever  seen  them  before.  They 


OUT  OF1  THE  SUNSET  SEA.  301 

brought  with  them  a  litter  on  which  they  insisted  I  should 
recline.  Which,  when  I  had  done  so,  was  instantly  caught 
up  and  I  was  swiftly  carried  through  the  forest  by  relays  of 
bearers  who  seemed  to  vie  with  each  other  for  the  privilege. 
I  was  not  altogether  at  ease,  since  I  could  not  imagine 
what  they  intended  do  with  me  ;  but  they  seemed  so 
merry  and  withal  so  solicitous  for  my  comfort,  that  I 
could  not  believe  they  meant  any  harm.  The  idea 
that  these  people  might  be  man-eaters,  like  the  Caribs  of 
whom  we  had  heard  so  much,  and  that  their  jollity  arose 
from  the  prospect  of  a  feast,  more  than  once  occurred  to  my 
mind  ;  but  I  was  young,  and  adventure,  even  with  a  spice 
of  danger,  was  by  no  means  displeasing.  Besides,  I 
thought  if  any  treachery  were  intended  they  might  find  it 
harder  to  roast  an  Adjutant  of  Infantry,  clad  in  a  Milan 
corselet  with  a  stout  Toledo  in  his  hand,  than  they  imag 
ined.  So  I  did  not  feel  greatly  alarmed,  even  when  the 
darkness  fell  suddenly  and  another  body  of  Indians,  carry 
ing  lighted  torches,  met  my  escort  and  proceeded  with 
them,  singing  and  strumming  on  their  rude  instruments. 

When  we  arrived  at  the  village  we  found  it  in  a  great  up 
roar.  It  seemed  as  if  every  one,  male  and  female,  joined 
our  procession  and  added  to  the  clamor.  Yet  all  were 
very  respectful.  I  sat  up  and  returned  the  friendly  saluta 
tions  I  received,  as  best  I  could.  All  seemed  animated 
with  a  glee  for  which  I  could  not  account.  They  heaped 
flowers  upon  the  litter,  the  men  shouted,  the  women 
kissed  their  hands  at  me,  and  all  sang  and  danced  about 
me.  I  was  at  my  wits'  end  to  make  out  what  this  might 
mean,  when  suddenly  my  bearers  came  to  a  halt  before  a 
house  made  of  fresh  palm  leaves  on  a  new  reed  frame 
work,  situated  a  little  apart  from  the  rest  of  the  village, 
around  which  the  whole  array  of  torch-bearers  and  others 
had  gathered.  They  set  down  the  litter,  and  when  I 
rose  up  it  was  to  find  myself  the  center  of  a  dusky  circle, 
each  bearing  a  smoking  torch,  but  all  suddenly  grown 


302  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

silent.  Looking  around  in  confusion  to  ascertain  the 
cause  of  this,  I  saw  in  the  door  of  the  house,  the  princess, 
whom,  to  my  shame,  I  had  forgotten  all  about,  decked 
with  the  greatest  profusion  of  white  flowers,  her  hands 
outstretched  in  welcome,  and  her  face  lighted  up  with  a 
smile.  She  met  me  before  I  had  reached  the  door,  took 
me  by  the  hand  and  led  me  within.  As  we  crossed  the 
threshold,  the  crowd  set  up  a  shout.  She  turned  and 
waved  her  hand  in  acknowledgment. 

Leading  me  to  the  center  of  the  lodge,  she  placed 
me  upon  a  mat  of  rare  colored  grasses  and  seated  herself 
at  my  side.  At  a  signal,  one  of  her  attendant  maidens 
brought  me  water  to  drink,  while  others  gently  moved  the 
air  with  large  fans  made  of  feathers  of  most  gorgeous 
hues.  No  one  offered  to  relieve  me  of  my  armor,  or  take 
my  sword.  These  simple  people  wear  nothing  that  is  super 
fluous,  so  that  courtesy  does  not  demand  the  removal  of 
any  portion  of  the  dress,  and  their  arms  are  such  that 
they  may  be  deposited  by  the  owner's  side  without  incon 
venience.  The  princess  still  held  my  hand  and  gazed  upon 
me  with  a  look  I  could  not  fail  to  understand  ;  whereat  I  felt 
a  blush  burning  upon  my  cheek,  which,  when  she  saw, 
her  eyes  fell  modestly,  her  maidens  clapped  their  hands, 
and  the  crowd  of  onlookers  set  up  another  shout.  She 
acknowledged  this  with  the  most  gracious  inclination  of 
the  head,  though  her  dark  face  was  still  suffused  with 
blushes. 

Then,  at  a  signal  from  her,  they  brought  food  and  set  it 
before  us,  cassava  bread  smoking  hot  from  the  roasting 
ovens,  fish  and  fruit,  the  eggs  of  tortugas,  and  the  flesh 
stewed  in  wicker  baskets  with  heated  stones.  Of  all  these 
things,  the  princess  urged  me  to  partake,  herself  taking  the 
tempting  morsels  and  putting  them  to  my  lips.  The  journey 
through  the  forest  had  given  me  an  appetite,  and,  good 
sooth,  the  viands  were  savory  enough.  She  ate  with 
relish  also,  as  well  she  might,  since,  as  I  afterwards 


OUT  OF  TtfE  SUNSET  SEA.  303 

learned,  she  had  fasted  since  the  day  before  and  vowed 
she  would  never  take  food  again  unless  her  brother,  the 
king-,  brought  me  to  her.  So  he  had  consented  to  dine 
with  the  Admiral  in  order  to  show  by  his  presence  on  the 
ship  that  no  harm  was  intended  me.  After  we  had  eaten 
of  these  things  they  were  removed  and  another  dish  of  most 
repulsive  aspect  but  most  attractive  savor,  was  placed  be 
fore  us.  It  was  the  roasted  body  of  that  great  lizard  which 
the  Indians  call  i-guana,  not  less  than  a  yard  long,  and 
having  a  savage  reptilian  look  that  made  me  shudder 
with  disgust.  However,  the  princess  attacked  it  heartily, 
tearing  away  the  skin  at  the  very  point  where  the  meat  is 
daintiest,  being  at  the  thick  part  of  the  long  tail  with 
its  spiny  crest,  and  held  it  up  to  me  with  a  look  so  assured 
of  the  gratification  I  would  receive,  that  I  think  I  should 
have  adventured  on  it  had  I  known  it  to  be  a  piece  of 
roasted  devil,  sweetened  with  the  poison  of  asps.  So  I 
shut  my  eyes,  opened  my  mouth,  and  with  a  prayer  to  be 
forgiven  for  my  unnatural  conduct,  determined  to  swallow 
it,  however  my  stomach  might  revolt.  What  was  my 
surprise  to  find  my  mouth  filled  with  the  daintiest  bit  of 
meat  mortal  ever  tasted  !  We  had 'been  rather  short  of 
flesh  meat  while  in  the  islands,  though  the  tortugas  and 
abundance  of  fish  we  caught  had  gone  far  to  supply  the 
want.  Perhaps  this  made  the  morsel  more  relishable,  but 
certainly,  I  never  tasted  a  more  toothsome  dish  than  this 
roasted  lizard  eaten  with  the  fresh  cassava  cakes.  When 
we  had  finished  they  brought  us  calabashes  of  fresh  water, 
with  which  we  washed  our  hands  and  faces,  and  cotton 
napkins  with  which  to  dry  them.  Then  hamacs  were 
strung  up  in  the  house,  and  we  reclined  in  them,  while  a 
bewildering  torch  dance  was  performed  without.  I  was 
just  growing  drowsy  watching  the  yellow  flames  and  the 
light  shining  on  the  bronze  figures,  when  all  at  once  the 
doors  of  the  lodge  were  flung  together ;  the  torches 
extinguished  ;  the  shouting  ceased  and  we  were  left  alone. 


304  OUT  OF  TirE  SUNSET  SEA. 

I  sprang  up  and  caught  the  hilt  of  my  sword,  for  I  was 
still  upon  my  guard.  Bending  forward,  I  heard  a  sigh 
from  the  hamac  by  my  side. 

All  at  once  the  significance  of  what  had  occurred  flashed 
upon  me.  I  had  espoused  the  Indian  maiden  and  this 
had  been  the  wedding  feast. 


HE  next  morning  Abaya,  for  that  was  the 
name  of  my  princess,  took  me  to  the 
cacique,  or  as  we  would  call  him,  I 
suppose,  the  king-.  He  was  a  brawny 
savage  with  a  look  I  hardly  liked,  though  very  polite. 
I  did  not  yet  understand  the  exact  relation  I  sustained  to 
savage  royalty,  and  besides  being  a  poor  courtier  at  best, 
was  greatly  embarrassed  by  the  sense  of  satisfied  posses 
sion  with  which  the  princess  introduced  me  to  her  august 
relative.  Besides  that,  the  Indian  royalty  was  ill  at  ease. 
The  Admiral  had  taught  him  to  drink  wine  the  day  before, 
and  he  had  found  the  tipple  so  much  to  his  liking  that  he  had 
been  brought  home  during  the  night  beastly  drunk,  start 
ling  his  devoted  subjects  on  his  arrival  by  incoherent  but 
vociferous  attempts  to  reproduce  a  smutty  doggerel  which 
one  of  the  sailors  had  sung  for  his  amusement.  Of  course, 
he  had  no  idea  of  the  words  or  their  significance,  but  he 
had  caught  the  air,  and,  though  his  head  was  heavy  with 
the  effects  of  his  debauch,  he  could  not  yet  refrain  from 
humming  it  and  imitating  the  gestures  of  the  singer.  The 
reception  was  a  brief  one  and  did  not  tend  to  awaken  any 
particular  pride  in  my  new  relatives,  though,  judging 
from  Abaya's  delight,  it  was  altogether  satisfactory  both 
to  her  and  the  king.  When  I  state  that  Guacanagari  had 

20  305 


306  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

minutely  inspected  my  armor,  cutting  his  ringers  on  my 
sword,  and  that  I  had  carried  three  of  his  courtiers  at 
once,  one  on  each  shoulder  and  another  huck-a-back 
through  the  village,  the  reason  for  this  will  perhaps  be 
more  apparent. 

When  we  had  returned  to  our  lodge  Abaya's  demonstra 
tions  of  delight  were  unbounded.  As  she  removed  my 
armor  and  wiped  away  the  sweat  which  bursts  forth  pro 
fusely  in  that  moist  clime  upon  the  least  exertion,  her 
self-abasement  and  devotion  were  so  extravagantly  shown 
that  I  was  reminded  of  the  Padre's  words  that  these  people 
esteemed  us  gods  or  demi-gods,  at  the  least.  The  white 
ness  of  my  bared  arms  seemed  to  dazzle  her  wondering 
eyes.  Poor  girl  !  She  was  as  gentle  as  a  fawn  and  her 
love  for  me  was  clouded  with  a  constant  fear  that  I  might 
vanish  from  her  sight.  For  this,  as  I  found  out,  there 
were  two  reasons  ;  the  first,  belief  in  our  supernal  char 
acter.  They  thought  we  had  come  from  the  sun  and 
would  return  thither  when  we  saw  fit.  The  other  arose 
from  their  own  custom.  Among  these  singular  people 
the  power  of  the  king  does  not  descend  to  his  sons,  but  to 
the  eldest  child  of  that  one  of  his  sisters  whom  he  may 
select  for  that  honor.  This  faA^orite  sister  is  never  allowed 
to  marry  one  of  her  own  tribe,  but  no  objection  must  be 
made  to  any  one  she  may  choose  outside  of  it.  Her  hus 
band  is  rarely  allowed  to  remain  with  the  tribe  after  the 
birth  of  a  child,  lest  he  should  conspire  against  the  king  ; 
and  the  mother,  who  is  regarded  as  a  queen,  must  remain 
afterwards  a  widow. 

Abaya  was  the  favorite  younger  sister  of  Guacanagari 
and  had  reached  the  unusual  age  of  eighteen  years  with 
out  manifesting  a  preference  for  any  suitor.  The  fact 
that  she  had  put  upon  my  head  the  crown  of  white  flowers 
which  indicated  that  she  had  chosen  me  for  that  honor, 
caused  great  rejoicing  among  the  tribe  who  had  begun  to 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA.  307 

fear  that  they  might  be  left  without  a  ruler.  She,  herself, 
nourished  the  hope  both  that  she  might  induce  me  to 
relinquish  the  idea  of  departure,  and  that,  because  of  my 
great  strength,  the  cacique  would  relax  the  ordinary  rule 
and  permit  me  to  remain  with  her. 

Savage  as  she  was,  there  was  never  a  more  loving 
heart.  How  she  learned  to  read  my  thoughts  I  know 
not,  but  almost  from  the  first  she  knew  them  and  made 
haste  to  anticipate  them.  I  think  if  I  had  asked  her  life 
she  would  have  given  it  without  demur.  Whether  there 
was  more  love  or  worship  in  her  regard  I  never  knew. 
She  followed  me  everywhere,  yet  knew  instinctively  when 
I  wished  to  be  alone.  Whenever  I  visited  the  shore  she 
would  disappear  before  we  reached  the  camp,  evidently 
not  liking  the  rude  jests  with  which  her  appearance  was 
greeted.  She  had  a  great  aversion  to  all  our  men  except 
the  Padre,  whom  she  instinctively  recognized  as  a  friend. 
With  him  she  would  sit  for  hours,  telling  him  the  Indian 
names  of  everything  he  might  ask  about,  and  watching 
while  he  wrote  them  down  on  the  "talking-leaves, "  as 
they  called  our  written  messages.  From  him  she  learned, 
also,  many  Spanish  words  and  phrases,  surprising  me 
every  clay  with  new  ones.  It  startled  me  when  she  called 
me  "  Mio  Caro,"  for  only  one  had  ever  changed  that 
endearment  familiarly  with  me,  and  when  she  began  to 
repeat  an  Ave  Maria,  crossing  herself  as  faithfully  as  the 
best  believer,  I  began  to  have  strange  qualms,  whether  of 
conscience  or  sentiment,  I  will  not  say. 

As  I  have  said,  Abaya  seemed  to  know  my  thoughts 
instinctively,  and  she  soon  realized  that  I  was  dwelling 
upon  the  possibility  of  returning  with  those  who  were  to 
sail  in  the  Nina.  It  was  no  doubt  with  the  purpose  of 
counteracting  this  inclination  that  she  began  to  tell  me 
about  the  gold.  Though  I  had  never  shown  any  interest 
in  the  search  for  this  precious  metal,  she  well  knew  the 


308  OUT  OF  THE  StJNSETSEA. 

greed  our  people  manifested  for  it,  and  judged  it  the 
most  powerful  incentive  to  which  she  could  appeal. 

One  day  when  I  was  lying  in  one  of  the  many-colored 
hamacs  in  her  lodge,  she  showed  me  a  piece  of  pure  gold, 
in  its  native  state,  about  the  size  of  a  hazel  nut.  I  knew 
nothing  of  the  value  of  the  metal,  but  judged  there  was 
enough  to  make  two  or  three  Spanish  doubloons.  It  is 
strange  what  a  fever  possessed  me  when  my  hand  first 
held  this  yellow  pebble.  It  was  not  its  great  worth,  but 
somehow  its  unwrought  condition  impressed  me  with  the 
thought  that  it  might  be  the  harbinger  of  untold  wealth. 
All  the  Admiral's  wild  visions  flashed  through  my  mind, 
and,  springing  upright,  I  began  to  question  the  simple  girl 
by  words  and  signs.  I  could  hardly  make  out  her  mean 
ing,  but  at  length  understood  her  to  say  that  she  would 
give  me  one  of  the  calabashes  out  of  which  we  drank, 
full  of  such  pebbles,  if  I  would  remain  with  her.  I  had 
no  doubt  about  the  condition,  for  though  I  could  not 
understand  her  words,  she  made  it  plain  by  gestures  of 
the  most  tender  and  unmistakable  character. 

Up  to  this  time,  I  had  felt  little  of  that  raging  thirst 
which  gold  inspires.  Knowing  that,  however  abundantly 
it  might  be  found  on  the  island,  little  of  it  could  by  any 
reasonable  probability  come  to  me,  I  had  laughed  at  the 
fury  it  inspired  in  others,  especially  the  Admiral.  What 
it  was  that  transformed  me  I  know  not,  but  even  as  I 
watched  the  gestures  of  the  brown-skinned  maid  I  felt  the 
fire  of  hell  in  my  veins.  I  had  no  idea  what  might  be 
the  value  of  such  a  mass  of  gold  as  she  described,  but 
I  knew  that  to  obtain  it  I  would  stoop  to  falsehood, 
treachery,  and  even  crime. 

I  did  not  hesitate  to  make  promises  which  I  was  already 
planning  a  way  to  break,  or  to  seal  them  with  kisses  as 
false — the  symbols  of  a  love  feigned  only  to  deceive,  Up 
to  this  time  my  life,  if  not  always  creditable,  had  been 
free  from  dishonor  ;  'but  nothing  could  be  more  shameful 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 


3°9 


than  the  simulated  warmth — the  trembling  eagerness 
inspired  of  greed  with  which  I  drew  this  innocent  creature 
palpitating  with  love  to  my  breast,  pressed  her  lithe  form, 
kissed  her  soft  lips,  and  lavished  upon  her  all  those  caresses 
which  the  human  heart,  savage  or  civilized,  conceives 
as  sacred  only  to  the  sincerest  passion.  How,  I  cannot 
tell,  but  I  made  it  plain  to  this  tender  child  of  the  Nev.r 
World  forest,  that  if  she  would  but  show  me  this  won 
drous  wealth,  which  was  only  tinsel  to  her,  I  would  remain 


forever  her  devoted  lover.  Transformed  by  my  assurance 
she  started  up,  seized  the  calabash,  and  beckoning  me  to 
follow,  sprang  off  into  the  dark  forest  which  fringed  the 
village  on  every  side,  and  parting  the  branches  with  a 
deftness  none  but  the  savage  can  acquire,  dashed  through 
them  at  a  rate  which  compelled  me  very  soon  to  beg  that 
she  would  moderate  her  steps.  She  came  back  laughing 
at  my  awkwardness  and  the  ease  with  which  she  had  out- 
sped  me.  After  that  she  chose  an  easier  path,  and  we 


310  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

proceeded  hand  in  hand  along  the  course  of  a  little  stream 
which  came  dashing  down  the  mountain,  crossing  and 
recrossing  it,  at  points  which  she  seemed  never  to  miss, 
so  as  to  avoid  the  clinging  vines  that  hung  in  apparently 
impenetrable  festoons  across  it  as  if  to  forbid  farther 
progress.  She  wore  only  a  short  skirt  of  soft  white  cot 
ton,  while  on  her  head  was  a  coronet  of  flowers  which 
she  had  woven  that  morning  to  win  an  approving  smile 
from  me.  I  was  soon  drabbled,  and  my  doublet  all 
awry  where  thorns  and  brambles  had  caught  it  in  our 
swift  passage  through  the  wood,  but  not  one  of  the 
flowers  had  been  torn  from  her  head  nor  was  a  scratch 
visible  in  the  soft  velvet-brown  of  her  skin. 

The  wall  on  either  side  became  more  precipitous  as  we 
advanced,  until  finally  we  entered  a  narrow  gorge  hardly 
fifty  paces  wide.  When  we  had  gone  something  like  a 
league,  as  I  judged,  the  gorge  widened  and  we  came  upon 
a  basin,  mayhap  a  hundred  steps  across.  The  bottom, 
so  far  as  I  could  see,  was  formed  of  round  white  stones 
and  sloped  gently  down  towards  the  farther  side  beyond 
which  rose  a  huge  white  cliff,  which  the  still  waters  re 
flected  as  if  it  had  been  one  of  those  icy  bergs  which 
Signer  Caboto  described,  as  floating  about  in  the  far 
northern  seas. 

Before  I  fully  comprehended  her  purpose,  Abaya  had 
placed  the  calabash  at  my  feet,  removed  her  simple  ap 
parel,  dived  into  the  pool,  and  I  saw  her  dark  willowy 
form  gliding  with  infinite  grace  through  the  bright  waters 
just  above  the  white  pebbly  bottom,  toward  the  wall  of 
alabaster  beyond.  It  seemed  very  deep  at  the  farther 
side,  though  owing  to  the  whiteness  of  the  rock  and 
the  brightness  of  the  sky,  one  could  hardly  guess  whether 
it  were  substance  or  reflection  that  met  his  gaze.  On 
either  side,  a  wall  of  verdure  grew  dense  and  high,  flecked 
here  and  there  with  masses  of  flowers,  while  birds  of  gay 
plumage  flew  back  and  forth,  all  faithfully  reproduced  in 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSE  T  SEA.  3 1 1 

the  still  waters  below.  I  could  note  every  motion  of 
Abaya's  slender  limbs  as  she  sank  down  into  this  flawless 
mirror,  framed  in  green  panels  decked  with  a  profusion  of 
bright  flowers  and  trailing  vines.  At  length  I  saw  that 
she  had  reached  the  bottom  and  was  groping  about 
among  the  white  stones  which  seemed  to  be  but  pebbles, 
though  she  assured  me  afterwards  that  they  were  rocks, 
worn  smooth  and  round,  but  of  considerable  size,  with 
lesser  ones  between,  running  down  to  clean-washed  peb 
bles,  no  doubt  crushed  and  worn  fragments  of  larger  ones 
which  were  unable  to  withstand  the  mighty  forces  which 
had  made  this  pool  as  it  were,  an  alabaster  bath  in  which 
nymphs  might  disport  themselves. 

How  this  was  done  I  was  very  soon  permitted  to  see, 
and  could  then  well  understand  why  it  was  considered 
sacred  and  never  approached  by  any  except  the  king  and 
members  of  his  family.  Even  they  came  here  only  on 
rare  and  solemn  occasions,  except  Abaya,  whose  nature 
seemed  to  be  somewhat  different  from  that  of  her  people. 
She  had  been  wont  to  bathe  in  the  pool  almost  from 
her  childhood,  and  had  little  fear  of  the  demon  who 
was  thought  to  preside  over  its  mysteries.  Much  of 
the  reverence  her  people  had  for  her  was  due  to  this  fact. 
Once  every  year  the  waters  of  the  pool  overflowed  and 
the  little  stream  became  a  raging  torrent,  the  marks  of 
which  were  clearly  seen  in  the  bowed  and  twisted  growth 
that  lined  the  bottom  of  the  gorge,  as  well  as  in  the  bare 
ness  of  the  overhanging  walls.  During  this  period,  which 
lasted  but  a  few  days,  the  earth  was  shaken  with  subter 
ranean  thunders,  and  a  column  of  water  burst  forth, 
sometimes  rising  higher  than  the  banks  of  the  gorge. 
There  was  a  tradition  that  it  would  sometime  engulf  the 
whole  region,  unless  the  evil  spirit  was  restrained  by  love 
of  some  woman  of  the  tribe.  They  were  glad,  therefore, 
that  the  king's  sister  should  make  it  her  favorite  resort, 
though  they  were  often  alarmed  for  her  safety,  especially 


3I2 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 


if  they  heard  the  roaring  of  the  imprisoned  monster  and 
felt  the  earth  quake  with  his  writhings  during  her  ab 
sence.  It  was  by  this  means  she  came  to  know  what 
few  if  any  of  her  tribe  suspected,  unless  indeed  this  tra 
dition  had  been  artfully  devised  to  keep  from  them  the 
baleful  knowledge  this  mystery  hid,  the  presence  of  gold 
in  this  haunted  pool. 

When  Abaya  rose  to  the  surface  she  had  her  hands  full 
of  pebbles,  some  of  which  she  threw  away  after  examin 
ing  them,  then  swam  laughingly  to  me  and  deposited  the 
others  in  the  calabash  at  my  feet.  I  stooped  and  scru 
tinized  them  with  eager  interest  while  she,  having 
watched  me  a  moment,  quietly  swam  back  for  more. 
This  was  repeated  several  times,  for  swimming  and  div 
ing  were  hardly  more  to  her  than  to  a  duck.  I  can  give 
no  idea  to  one  reared  in  a  cold  climate  of  the  ease  and 
grace  of  her  movements  in  the  water.  During  her  ab 
sences  I  picked  out  and  threw  away  the  worthless  peb 
bles,  leaving  only  the  golden  drops  which  were  of  all 
sizes  from  barley-corn  to  hazel-nuts,  but  all  smoothed 
and  rounded  as  if  they  had  been  hammered  into  their 
respective  shapes,  as  indeed  they  had,  by  what  means  I 
was  yet  to  learn. 

As  this  process  began  to  fill  the  calabash  I  became 
strangely  excited.  My  hands  trembled  and  my  breath 
came  quick.  I  began  to  listen  for  footsteps  and  to  peer 
into  the  bushes  on  either  side  in  apprehension  that  some 
one  might  be  playing  the  spy  on  my  good  fortune.  The 
scream  of  a  green  parrot  which  sounded  like  a  laugh, 
made  me  spring  up  and  rush  to  hide  my  now  heavy  cal 
abash  in  a  cleft  of  rock  overhung  by  a  tangle  of  bushes  a 
little  way  down  the  stream,  which  I  had  noted  as  we 
came.  Abaya  laughed  at  my  eagerness  and  caution, 
when  next  she  came  and  gave  the  yellow  grains  into  my 
hand.  She  lay  a  long  time  stretched  out  in  the  shallow 
water  at  the  edge  of  the  pool  gazing  at  me  with  curious 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA.  313 

wonder,  while  I  waited  impatiently  for  her  to  continue 
her  labors. 

The  calabash  was  now  at  least  half  full.  It  was  nigh 
as  large  as  one  of  the  stones  thrown  from  our  bombards, 
and  was  so  heavy  that  I  had  to  carry  it  in  my  palm,  not 
daring  to  trust  the  wicker  handle.  At  length  she  swam 
across  to  the  rock  and,  after  waiting  a  moment,  with  her 
hand  upon  a  narrow  shelf  just  above  the  surface,  after 
one  glance  back  at  me,  sank  down  again  into  the 
water. 

Then  it  first  occurred  to  me  that  she  was  weary.  I  re 
flected  that  she  was  unaccustomed  to  prolonged  effort, 
and  determined  that  she  should  not  go  down  again.  At 
the  same  time,  the  greed  which  inflamed  my  spirit  forced 
me  to  run  and  examine  the  calabash  to  note  how  nearly 
full  it  would  probably  be  after  that  trip.  I  cannot  im 
agine  why  I  was  so  excited.  It  surely  was  not  the  idea  of 
great  wealth,  for  I  remember  thinking  that  all  there  was 
in  the  calabash  would  hardly  make  onza  doubloons 
enough  to  have  cashed  my  father's  letter  of  credit,  the 
possession  of  which  had  produced  no  such  excitement. 
It  may  have  been,  as  I  have  heard  that  some  alchemists 
do  contend,  because  there  is  some  mysterious  affinity 
between  the  yellow  stuff  and  man's  blood  whereby  the 
secret  of  life  might  be  found,  if  only  some  potent  resolv 
ent  of  its  powers  were  discovered. 

While  I  was  thinking  of  these  things,  my  hand  the 
meantime  dallying  with  the  precious  particles,  I  heard  a 
scream,  and  rushing  back  saw  Abaya  lying  extended  on  the 
ledge  I  have  mentioned,  and  gazing  at  me  with  a  look  of 
grief  and  disappointment  which  I  could  not  comprehend. 
She  was  pan  ting  as  from  some  unusual  exertion.  I  made 
signs  that  I  would  come  to  her  ;  but  she  shook  her  head 
and  smiled.  Then  I  called  her  to  come  to  me.  She  gave 
a  coquettish  laugh  and  still  refused.  Presently  she  slipped 
off  the  ledge  and  I  saw  her  after  a  moment's  search  lift 


314  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

something  from  the  bottom  which  seemed  to  require  all 
her  strength.  Taking  it  in  her  right  hand  which  she  held 
close  against  her  breast,  she  began  to  swim  upward.  It 
was  with  the  utmost  difficulty  that  she  rose  and  deposited 
her  burden  on  the  little  shelf  in  the  white  rock.  Then  she 
drew  herself  up  beside  it  and  panting  and  smiling,  called 
my  attention  to  it.  I  could  hardly  believe  my  eyes.  It 
seemed  a  mass  of  shining  gold  almost  as  big  as  my  head. 
I  threw  off  my  clothes  and  sprang  into  the  water. 

At  the  first  hint  of  my  purpose  Abaya  remonstrated  in 
evident  affright.  Seeing  my  determination  she  slipped 
down,  and  when  I  plunged  in  was  at  my  side  with  anxious 
proffers  of  assistance.  She  evidently  thought  I  could  not 
swim,  as,  indeed,  I  could  not  in  comparison  with  her. 
Yet  I  was  piqued  at  her  presumption.  Refusing  to  see 
the  little  brown  hand  outstretched  to  aid  me,  I  pushed  on 
in  my  own  awkward  fashion.  But  her  anxiety  was  not 
to  be  baffled.  Hardly  had  I  swam  a  fathom  when  her 
dripping  head  rose  beside  my  own,  compelling  my  arm 
to  rest  over  her  shoulder  while  her  swift  strokes  bore  us 
both  easily  on.  In  this  way,  we  swam  across  the  pool. 

There,  upon  the  little  shelf  I  have  described,  lay  a  sight 
which  dazzled  my  eyes  and  made  me  hold  my  breath  in 
wonder.  It  was  a  mass  of  gold,  beaten  by  unseen 
hammers,  veined  with  white  translucent  rock  like  that  on 
which  it  rested.  I  was  amazed  at  its  weight,  and  won 
dered  how  she  could  have  brought  it  from  the  depths 
below.  Turning  to  ask  if  there  were  any  more  like  it,  I 
found  that  instead  of  sharing  my  excitement  she  was 
sitting  quietly  upon  the  narrow  ledge,  watching  me  as  I 
clung  by  one  hand  to  the  rock,  keeping  myself  afloat  by 
strokes  of  my  feet.  The  whiteness  of  my  skin,  seen  in 
the  clear  water,  was  a  matter  of  greater  interest  to  her 
than  the  priceless  yellow  mass  which  held  my  eyes  with 
a  steadfastness  which  may  well  have  seemed  worship — 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 


315 


the  very  sentiment  which  I  caught  upon  her  face  when 
I  chanced  to  look  around. 

I  had  not  realized  the  truth  of  the  Padre's  words,  that 
these  people  regarded  us  as  supernal  beings,  until  that 
moment  when  I  caught  the  eye  of  Abaya  fixed  upon  me 
with  such  reverent  devotion.  I  knew  she  loved  me  and 
had  a  profound  admiration  for  my  strength,  for  she  was 
never  weary  of  referring  to  it,  and  liked  nothing  in  the 
world  so  well  as  to  put  a  foot  in  my  hand  and  be  tossed 
to  a  seat  upon  my  shoulder.  But  this  could  not  account 
for  the  awe  which  filled  her  unconscious  look.  I  felt  at 
once  that  I  was  to  her  not  only  a  lover  but  a  god. 
When  she  saw  me  looking  at  her,  she  put  her  hands 
over  her  face,  not  from  any  sense  of  modesty,  for  these 
simple  creatures  have  none  of  that  feeling  of  shame 
which  we  claim  to  have  inherited  from  our  first  parents. 
She  only  did  it  to  avert  my  wrath  which  she  feared  to  have 
aroused  by  sacrilegious  curiosity. 

It  was  despicable,  the  first  use  I  made  of  this  new 
knowledge.  Touching  the  yellow  mass  before  me,  I 
pointed  to  the  bottom  of  the  pool,  intimating  that  she 
should  bring  up  more.  She  shook  her  head.  I  reiterated 
my  command.  Slipping  off  the  ledge  with  a  gesture  of 
submission,  she  sank  again  through  the  crystal  water.  It 
was  perhaps  five  fathoms  deep,  but  I  could  see  that  it  was 
paved  here,  as  at  the  other  side,  with  white  stones  of 
various  sizes  heaped  loosely  on  each  other.  I  saw  her  pick 
up  and  cast  away  one  after  another  of  these.  Finally  she 
rose  to  the  surface  bringing  another,  somewhat  less  in  size 
than  the  first,  composed  chiefly  of  white  stone  but  having 
small  veins  of  gold  running  through  it  in  various  directions. 
She  made  signs  that  there  were  no  others.  Drawing  my 
self  upon  the  narrow  shelf,  I  took  the  precious  sphere  in 
my  hands  and  started  to  creep  along  the  face  of  the  cliff 
to  the  shore. 


3 1 6  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSE T  SEA. 

For  the  first  time  Abaya  raised  her  voice  in  protest.  She 
made  plain  to  me  that  an  evil  fate  had  been  predicted  for 
any  one  who  should  carry  away  even  the  least  of  the  white 
stones  with  which  the  pool  was  paved.  She  had  long 
known  that  there  were  particles  of  gold  among  them,  but 
had  never  taken  any  away.  Now,  with  the  desperate  pur 
pose  of  seeking  to  retain  me  with  her,  she  had  decided  to 
risk  the  removal  of  the  small  lumps  of  gold.  They  were 
not  white,  *she  said,  and  it  was  the  white  stones  it  was  for 
bidden  to  remove.  But  when  I  started  to  carry  off  the 
mass  of  gold  mingled  with  the  sacred  stone,  her  fears 
proved  too  much  for  her  resolution.  It  is  probable  that 
her  belief  in  my  supernal  character  would  ultimately  have 
prevailed  to  secure  her  consent ;  but  even  as  I  turned  to 
speak,  the  very  thing  she  feared  occurred.  The  earth 
trembled  with  a  sickening  thrill.  The  rock  against  which 
we  leaned  tipped  forward  and  swung  back.  There  was  a 
tremor  in  the  air  and  the  sun  seemed  shining  through  a  mist. 
With  a  shriek  she  caught  my  leg  and  drew  me  off  the  shelf 
into  the  water,  which  was  already  boiling  and  bubbling  with 
angry  vehemence.  As  I  fell,  inspired  with  a  frantic  impulse 
of  greed,!  threw  the  mass  of  fold  as  far  as  I  could  toward 

o  o 

the  other  side  of  the  pool  and  had  the  satisfaction  before 
the  water  closed  over  me  to  sec  it  strike  the  shore. 

With  Abaya's  aid  the  angry  waves  of  the  pool  were  soon 
passed  and  with  an  exclamation  of  delight  I  ran  to  regain 
my  treasure.  As  I  picked  it  up  Abaya  sank  at  my  feet 
with  a  cry  of  despair.  I  could  no  longer  doubt  that  the 
demon  to  whom  the  pool  belonged  was  enraged  at  my 
temerity.  It  be  not  unlikely  that  gold  hath  special  attrac 
tions  for  hobgoblins  as  well  as  men.  I  have  since  learned 
that  in  many  mines  the  treasures  are  guarded  by  gnomes 
who  often  destroy  those  who  venture  into  them. 

The  uproar  within  the  bowels  of  the  earth  was  now  ter 
rible.  The  birds  flew  frightened  and  screaming  through 
the  air.  The  great  rock  swayed  to  and  fro  like  a  ship 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA.  317 

tossed  by  the  wind  :  the  waters  sank  away  out  of  the  pool 
with  a  gurgling  groan  and  the  white  stones  that  formed 
its  bed  rolled  down  into  a  yawning  gorge  at  the  foot  of 
the  great  rock.  Again  the  earth  shook  and  with  a  roar 
like  ten  thousand  bombards  let  loose  at  once,  the  water 
burst  forth  mingled  with  stones  and  I  know  not  what  be 
side,  and  was  shot  into  the  air  beyond  the  height  of  the 
tallest  mast.  Soon  the  basin  of  the  pool  was  full  to  over 
flowing.  The  waters  hissed  and  surged  and  great  stones 
a  hundred  men  could  not  have  lifted,  shot  into  the  air,  fell 
down  like  hail  into  the  pool  and  rolled  back  into  the 
gorge  to  be  vomited  forth  again.  I  caught  Abaya  under 
one  arm  and  ran,  seeking  some  avenue  of  escape.  Un 
consciously,  I  still  retained  the  cause  of  offence,  in  the 
other  hand.  Hardly  had  I  gone  twenty  steps  when  the 
hellish  uproar  was  redoubled,  and  Abaya  with  a  shriek 
burst  from  my  hold  and  with  a  look  of  inexpressible  horror 
pointed  to  the  burthen  to  which  I  clung.  Looking  back, 
I  saw  the  water  was  about  to  bear  away  my  clothes.  The 
primal  impulse  of  civilized  men  induced  me  to  run  back 
even  at  the  risk  of  my  life  to  reclaim  my  belongings.  I 
have  often  laughed  at  my  anxiety  to  recover  what  was  of 
so  little  value.  However,  when  I  had  them  and  was  once 
more  clothed,  much  of  my  fear  had  passed  away. 

I  had  now  no  doubt  that  this  commotion  was  the  work 
of  a  malignant  spirit,  which  would  surely  destroy  us,  if  not 
with  his  strange  artillery  with  which  the  whole  pool  was 
bombarded,  then  with  the  waters  which  were  already  ris 
ing  in  the  narrow  gorge.  I  did  not  question  that  the  evil 
spirit  was  enraged  because  I  had  invaded  his  dominions  ; 
though  I  have  since  thought  it  more  likely  that  it  was 
because  I  had  taken  the  treasure  which  he  so  highly  prized. 
However,  as  Father  Mendez  had  taught  me  that  no  evil 
spirit  can  resist  the  Holy  Name  boldly  uttered  by  a  true 
believer  under  the  sign  of  the  cross,  I  started  toward  the 
boiling  caldron,  Abaya  clinging  to  me  and  entreating  me 


318  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

not  to  venture  nearer.  When  we  reached  the  edge  of  the 
pool,  I  crossed  myself  and  crying  out  :  "In  Nomine  Jesu 
Christu  !  "  commanded  the  demon  to  cease  from  troubling 
the  waters.  Then,  as  the  commotion  still  continued,  I 
bethought  myself  of  an  invocation  which  Father  Mendez 
did  hold  in  little  esteem,  though  I  have  been  advertised 
of  many  cases  in  which  mariners  most  sore  bested  have 
been  saved  by  it,  and  I  do  think  if  he  had  seen  what  then 
occurred,  he  would  never  more  have  doubted.  It  is, 
indeed,  a  sore  trial  of  faith,  requiring  that  whatever  one 
hath  which  he  doth  most  highly  prize,  providing  it  have 
not  life,  be  sacrificed  without  regret  and  in  the  Holy 
Name,  with  ten  Aves  said  with  closed  eyes. 

I  knew  our  peril  was  most  extreme.  Already  the  water 
was  at  our  knees  and  was  still  spouting  from  the  horrid 
pit.  I  thought  of  Abaya  sacrificed  to  my  reckless  greed  ; 
mayhap  I  thought  of  myself  but  I  did  not  know  it.  Seizing 
the  mass  of  gold,  I  marked  the  Holy  Cross  upon  it  with 
my  finger  from  which  the  blood  was  dripping  because  of 
some  trivial  hurt  in  my  excitement  unnoted,  signed  it 
with  the  Holy  Name,  and  with  all  my  strength  cast  it 
into  the  great  roaring  column  that  reared  itself  between 
us  and  the  sky,  fell  upon  my  knees,  though  the  water 
came  to  my  armpits,  and  closing  my  eyes  repeated  in  a 
loud  voice  the  Ave  Maria. 

The  commotion  which  followed  was  even  more  terrible 
than  it  had  been  before.  Ten  times  I  repeated  the  prayer, 
not  once  unclosing  my  lids  until  the  last  word  was  fully 
spoken.  Then  the  column  of  water  had  disappeared,  and 
as  I  looked  the  great  rock  seemed  cleft  in  twain  and  the 
outer  part  of  it  by  which  we  had  stood,  fell  forward  send 
ing  the  water  in  an  immense  wave  clean  over  our  heads. 
Then  there  were  groanings  and  rumblings  as  if  the  whole 
island  were  in  the  throes  of  some  great  agony. 

Gradually  these  sounds  died  away;  the  flowofwatrr 
subsided ;  the  sun  shone  out,  and  though  there  was  still  a 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA.  319 

smell  of  sulphur  in  the  air,  the  birds  began  to  sing  as  after 
a  storm.  Soon  the  water  receded,  leaving  the  pool  as  it 
had  been  before,  except  for  a  portion  of  the  white  rock 
which  rose  above  the  surface  in  the  midst.  Then  I  made 
Abaya,  who  knelt  beside  me,  fold  her  hands  and  cross 
herself,  while  I  repeated  the  prayer  again.  God  forgive 
me  if  it  was  sacrilege,  but  I  did  even  dip  my  hand  in  the 
pool,  sprinkle  the  water  on  her  head,  make  the  sign  of 
the  cross  with  it  on  breast  and  brow  and  repeat  the 
formula  of  baptism.  Heaven  grant  it  may  have  been  to 
the  salvation  of  her  soul,  and,  indeed,  I  be  not  without 
hope  that  even  though  irregularly  administered,  the  holy 
rite  brought  grace,  for  she  was  ever  after  strangely  sub 
dued  and  submissive  as  if  the  Holy  Spirit  had  entered  into 
her  and  transformed  her  that  instant  into  a  saint. 

I  greatly  marveled  at  the  quieting  of  the  waters,  which 
was  evidently  because  the  demon  was  not  able  to  with 
stand  the  Holy  Name,  even  in  the  mouth  of  one  so  ill- 
deserving.  Abaya  regarded  it  with  even  greater  wonder, 
and  made  me  understand  that  the  water  had  never  before 
burst  forth  at  that  time  of  the  year,  nor  ceased  to  flow 
until  after  a  period  of  at  least  three  days,  which  made 
the  marvel  even  more  marvelous.  There  be  no 
doubt  that  from  this  pool  there  runneth  an  underground 
passage  to  some  cavern  wrhere  gnomes  do  dwell  and 
whence  most  likely  the  golddoth  come.  I  greatly  wondered 
whether  the  same  did  not  lead  to  that  Cibao  of  which  the 
Admiral  spoke  with  such  certainty.  I  felt  no  inclination, 
however,  to  inform  him  of  what  I  had  seen,  both  because 
I  could  see  no  advantage  that  would  accrue  to  me  there 
from,  and  also  because  I  was  planning  to  return  some 
time  to  this  region  under  very  different  conditions.  I  did 
not  regard  the  value  of  the  gold  I  had  obtained  as  very 
great,  but  prized  it  chiefly  as  a  voucher  for  the  truth  of 
what  I  might  relate  in  regard  to  that  day's  happenings  ; 
but  I  had  never  dared  to  speak  of  having  seen  so  large  a 


326  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

piece  of  the  precious  metal  had  not  the  scales  already 
vouched  for  much  larger  masses  of  it  in  other  parts  of 
these  new  lands.  So,  too,  I  speak  not  of  this  as  a  miracle, 
the  which  can  happen  only  unto  holy  men,  which  I 
assuredly  was  not.  I  only  know  that  the  uproar  subsided 
when  I  did  invoke  the  Holy  Name,  though  it  be  quite 
possible,  as  the  Padre,  to  whom  I  did  relate  this  marvel, 
declared,  that  it  resulted  not  from  the  action  of  malign 
spirits,  but  from  the  earthquake  which  at  that  time  did 
affect  the  whole  island.  I  did  not  tell  him  about  the  gold, 
though  I  did  show  him  some  of  the  smaller  pieces  I  had 
obtained. 

I  saw  little  of  my  shipmates  after  I  went  to  the  Indian 
village,  because  the  view  which  the  natives  took  of  my 
position  had  gotten  abroad  among  them,  and  I  did  not 
relish  the  jokes  that  were  made  at  my  expense.  The 
Admiral  sent  for  me  once  and  questioned  me  closely  about 
many  things,  especially  the  gold.  This  being  before 
my  adventure  at  the  pool,  I  answered  him  truly  that  I  had 
learned  nothing  in  regard  to  it. 

The  Indians  were  greatly  excited  over  the  bursting  forth 
of  the  water  at  this  unusual  season  of  the  year,  and  we  found 
them  invoking  their  heathen  deities  and  watching  the  subsi 
dence  of  the  stream  on  our  return.  It  seemed  nothing  less 
than  sacrilege  that  Abaya,  who  had  learned  the  Holy  Name 
and  signed  the  Holy  Symbol,  should  take  part  in  these 
rites,  but  her  people  insisted,  and  I  had  no  power  to  prevent. 
In  the  mean  time  I  hastened  to  the  Cathedral  Rocks,  and 
having  made  a  fire,  the  smoke  of  which  was  an  agreed 
signal,  I  was  soon  joined  by  the  Padre  and  Irish  Bill. 
From  them  I  learned  that  the  Admiral  was  growing  very 
anxious  about  Martin  Alonzo,  whom  he  believed  to  have 
already  sailed  for  home,  and  would  hasten  his  own  de 
parture.  Gutierrez,  who  no  doubt  desired  the  Admiral 
should  leave  the  island,  believing  that  he  could  easily 
dispose  of  the  dissolute  and  arrogant  Alguazil  who  alone 


OUT  OF  TtiE  SUNSET  SEA.  321 

would  then  stand  between  him  and  supreme  command, 
had  fostered  this  notion  by  his  report  that  nothing  could 
be  learned  of  the  Pinta.  The  Padre,  however,  who  not 
only  understood  the  language  of  the  natives  better  than 
he,  but  had  no  motive  to  falsify,  assured  us  that  Pinzon 
was  reported  to  be  in  a  harbor  at  the  eastern  end  of  the 
island  engaged  in  traffic  with  the  Indians.  The  news  that 
the  Admiral  would  sail  in  a  few  clays  at  farthest,  hastened 
some  preparations  we  had  already  begun. 

Half  a  league  to  the  eastward,  in  a  sheltered  cove,  lay 
a  canoe  which  Bill  and  I,  with  the  aid  of  the  Indians,  had 
fitted  up,  intending  to  set  sail  for  Cuba  immediately  upon 
the  Admiral's  departure,  for  we  well  knew  that  when 
Diego  de  Arana  should  become  governor  of  the  island,  in 
fact  as  well  as  in  name,  our  only  hope  for  the  execution 
of  our  project,  would  lie  in  instant  flight.  We  had 
gathered  here  the  tools,  sails,  and  cordage  required  for 
building  a  craft  upon  the  plan  outlined  by  the  Admiral, 
but  found  no  chance  to  secure  any  others  of  the  company 
to  go  with  us.  Rather  than  have  us  undertake  the  perilous 
voyage  alone,  the  Padre  had  consented  to  accompany  us. 
This,  however,  was  sorely  against  his  will  and  he  now 
proposed  that  on  the  night  before  the  Admiral  was  to  sail, 
we  should  take  the  canoe  with  a  full  complement  of  rowers 
which  the  princess  could  easily  induce  the  king  to  grant 
us,  and  make  our  way  eastward  in  advance  of  the  Nina, 
in  search  of  her  consort.  Then,  if  we  two  could  manage 
to  ship  with  Martin  Alonzo  on  the  return  voyage,  the 
Padre  was  to  take  the  canoe,  and,  keeping  a  sharp  look 
out  for  the  Nina,  make  his  way  back  to  meet  whatever 
fate  might  await  him. 


21 


HE  hour  for  departure  had  arrived.  The 
Admiral  was  to  sail  upon  the  morrow. 
The  sun  was  just  setting,  and  beyond 
the  point  behind  which  our  canoe  was 
hidden  we  heard  already  the  clamor 
of  the  farewell  festivities.  To-morrow  the  Admiral  would 
be  on  his  way  to  Spain,  and  Diego  de  Arana  would 
be  governor  of  Espanola.  Would  the  Captain  of  the 
Pinta  consent  to  receive  Irish  Bill  and  myself  on  his 
ship  without  leave  of  his  superior,  or  allow  us  to  ex 
change  with  any  of  his  crew  who  might  wish  to  remain  ? 
That  was  the  question  we  meant  to  decide.  If  so,  the 
Padre  would  return  alone  ;  if  not,  we  would  return 
together,  and  as  soon  as  opportunity  offered  steal  away 
to  Cuba,  where  we  would  build  a  craft  to  take  us  back 
to  Europe,  leaving  De  Arana  and  his  reckless  compan 
ions  to  such  fate  as  might  come.  We  knew  there 
would  be  no  pursuit  because  none  of  them  who  were  to 
be  left  behind  had  any  nautical  skill,  and  we  had  no  fear 
of  the  natives  of  Cuba,  for  not  only  were  they  of  the  gen 
tlest  character,  but  we  intended  to  take  the  princess  and 
a  canoe-load  of  her  most  devoted  subjects  with  us  as 
peacemakers. 

The  first  thing  to  be  done  was  to  find  Pinzon.  Where 
was  he  ?  It  was  nearly  two  months  since  the  sails  of  the 
Pinta  sank  from  view  as  we  watched  her  heading  before 
a  fair  breeze  to  the  south-southeast,  off  the  coast  of  Cuba. 
"In  a  bay  at  the  east  end  of  the  island,  as  far  as  a  swift 
runner  can  go  in  four  days,"  was  the  report  the  Padre  had 
brought  back  from  his  canoe  voyage  with  Gutierrez.  We 
322 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA.  ->,2  , 

*-*      O 

judged  it  two  days'  sail  at  the  least,  and  had  prepared  to 
make  it  by  the  open  sea  rather  than  by  crawling  around 
the  bays  and  headlands  of  the  shore. 

Abaya,  my  bride  of  a  week,  had  lent  her  aid  in  secur 
ing  everything  that  we  required — rowers,  provisions,  and, 
above  all,  the  best  canoe  the  tribe  possessed,  which  I  had 
solemnly  assured  the  cacique  should  be  returned.  She 
no  doubt,  expected  to  go  with  us  and  had  come  down  to 
the  shore  with  a  few  of  her  attendants  in  high  spirits, 
though  the  Admiral  had  especially  requested  that  she 
should  accompany  her  brother,  the  cacique,  on  board  his 
ship  that  night.  She  had  brought  with  her  my  helmet 
and  the  basinet  attached  to  it  which  was  made  for  me  by 
order  of  Gonsalvo  de  Cordova.  She  very  justly  esteemed 
this  piece  of  armor  the  most  notable  part  of  my  equip 
ment,  not  excepting  the  old  Toledo  for  which,  indeed,  she 
had  little  fancy,  being  evidently  surprised  at  my  prefer 
ence  for  it.  The  helmet,  however,  I  think  she  regarded 
as  an  emblem  of  my  supernal  character,  and  was  never  so 
happy  as  when  allowed  to  carry  it,  or  even  to  put  it  on 
her  own  dainty  head.  Thus  accoutred  she  watched  the 
preparations  for  our  embarkation.  The  canoe  was  taken 
out  where  it  could  be  floated  without  danger  to  the  false 
keel  I  had  attached  to  it  ;  and  Irish  Bill  and  the  Padre 
were  already  aboard,  when  I  signified  to  her  that  she 
was  to  remain,  but  might  keep  the  helmet  against  my 
return.  At  first  her  countenance  fell,  and  she  evidently 
feared  my  purpose,  but  when  she  comprehended  that  she 
was  to  retain  the  head-piece,  doubt  seemed  to  vanish  and 
she  cheerfully  obeyed. 

I  am  glad  now,  that  I  had  the  courage  to  kiss  my 
princess  before  them  all,  at  my  departure,  a  thing  I  had 
never  done  before.  Savage  as  she  was,  she  was  of  a  gen 
tle  nature  and  I  never  think  of  her  without  something  of 
the  feeling  one  must  have  who  has  betrayed  the  love  of 
a  white  Christian  lady.  Of  course,  she  was  not  white  nor 


324  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

a  Christian — when  we  first  met  at  least,  though  I  am  not 
without  hope — -but  I  will  not  speak  of  that  concerning 
which  the  Padre  was  much  fitter  to  discourse.  It  was  a 
happy  face,  brown  though  it  was,  that  shone  through 
the  swift-falling  night  as  I  waved  my  hand  in  adieu  ;  for 
Abaya  did  not  doubt  that  I  would  come  again. 

The  rowers  gave  way  and  the  canoe  shot  out  into  the 
open  sea.  As  we  rounded  the  point,  we  saw  the  Cathe 
dral  Rocks,  standing  out  against  the  light  of  great  bon 
fires  which  cast  a  weird  glow  upon  the  shining  leaves  of 
the  forest.  Men  were  hurrying  to  and  fro,  from  the  tower 
to  the  landing-place  ;  the  sea  was  alive  with  swimmers 
and  canoes.  Amidship  of  the  Nina,  swung  on  a  long 
chain  that  hung  from  a  yard  sprung  over  the  side,  a  great 
jack  full  of  pitchy  knots  that  flamed  and  glared,  lighting 
up  ship  and  sea.  This  illumination  was  in  honor  both  of 
Guacanagari,  the  king,  who  was  to  dine  again  with  the 
Admiral,  and  of  the  departure  of  the  latter  on  the  morrow. 
It  was  a  strange  thing  :  forty  men  exulted  in  the  thought 
that  they  were  to  be  left  in  an  unknown  land  with  only 
one  little  caravel  to  carry  the  news  of  their  existence  to 
the  world,  a  thousand  leagues  away.  And  of  these,  by 
far  the  greater  number  secretly  hoped  that  even  this  frail 
craft  might  never  reach  her  destination. 

If  the  revelers  had  been  on  the  watch,  they  could  hardly 
have  seen  the  swift-gliding  canoe  as  it  shot  out  into  the 
night  that  hung  soft  and  starry  above  the  placid  sea,  and 
if  they  had,  pursuit  would  have  been  vain.  I  laughed  as 
I  thought  of  the  heavy  long-boat  of  the  Santa  Maria,  with 
its  clumsy  oars,  in  chase  of  our  canoe,  with  ten  paddles 
on  a  side.  Civilization  may  build  ships  that  will  make 
longer  voyages,  but  for  swift-moving  boats  the  savage's 
canoe  hath  no  rival. 

Ours  was  no  mean  craft  even  for  a  longer  voyage  than 
we  expected  to  take.  It  was  a  canoe  sixty  feet  long,  hol 
lowed  out  of  a  single  tree  by  fire,  four  or  five  feet  amid- 


O  UT  OF  THE  SUNSE  T  SEA .  325 

ships,  with  a  high  freeboard,  that  tapered  finely  at  each 
end  and  had  been  rubbed  and  polished  until  the  water 
slipped  by  its  sides  almost  without  a  ripple.  I  luid  rigged 
it  with  a  mast  that  could  be  unsteppcd  at  will,  a  three- 
cornered  sail  and  a  sort  of  keel  composed  of  canvas  drawn 
over  a  pole  fastened  at  each  end  to  the  bottom  and  sprung 
outward  in  the  middle.  In  a  similar  way  I  had  made  a 
steering  oar  or  rudder  to  be  lashed  to  the  stern,  very  light 
but,  as  it  proved,  very  effective.  The  Admiral's  sugges 
tions,  which  I  had  surreptitiously  heard,  had  led  me  to 
adopt  devices  which  would  not  otherwise  have  occurred 
to  me. 

We  had  twenty  Indian  rowers,  and  the  canoe  was  pro 
visioned  for  ten  days  with  fruit,  cassava  bread,  and  cala 
bashes  of  sweet  water.  She  proved  a:i  excellent  sailer,  far 
outdoing  my  expectation  and  fully  justifying  the  Admiral's 
predictions.  The  Padre  knew  the  course  we  ought  to  take, 
and  with  the  aid  of  the  compass  of  the  Santa  Maria  we 
were  able  to  keep  it.  Both  the  wind  and  current  were  in 
our  favor,  and  our  dusky  friends  were  delighted  with  the 
ease  and  rapidity  of  our  progress.  We  had  expected  it 
would  require  two  days  at  least  to  reach  the  bay  in  which, 
according  to  report,  the  Pinta  was  lying ;  but  hardly  had 
the  sun  risen  the  next  morning  when  we  saw  her  beating 
up  into  a  sheltered  roadstead,  where  she  dropped  anchor. 
The  wind  had  freshened  and  the  spray  flew  over  us  like 
rain  as  the  light  canoe  bore  down  upon  her.  The  place 
was  entirely  sheltered  from  the  west  and  southwest,  and 
well  for  us  it  was,  for  hardly  had  we  rounded  to  under  her 
stern  when  the  breeze  became  a  gale.  We  scarcely  real 
ized  its  force,  because  of  the  landlocked  character  of  the 
bay  in  which  we  rode,  but  we  learned  afterwards  it  was 
so  severe  that  the  Admiral  did  not  dare  to  put  to  sea  with 
the  Nina,  and  after  it  slackened,  it  had  shifted  so  to  the 
southeast,  that  he  was  held  a  prisoner  for  two  days  more 
and  still  another  two  days  were  well-nigh  spent  before  he 


326  OUT  OF  THE  SUATSET  SEA. 

sighted  the  Pinta's  hiding-place.  For  that  it  was  a  hiding- 
place  I  was  soon  assured,  and  fully  shared  her  Captain's 
hope  that  the  Nina  might  pass  us  in  the  night  time.  Once 
satisfied  that  she  had  started  homeward,  he  could  then 
safely  turn  his  prow  in  the  same  direction. 

But  Fate  which  had  favored  the  Admiral  so  wonderfully, 
was  still  upon  his  side,  as  if  determined,  by  filling  up  the 
measure  of  his  opportunity  to  the  utmost,  to  make  more 
significant  his  downfall. 

"  Boat  ahoy  !"  cried  the  Captain  of  the  Pinta,  looking 
down  from  the  low  poop  as  the  canoe  rounded  up  into  the 
wind  with  her  nose  almost  touching  the  stern  of  the  cara 
vel.  "  God's  death  !  What  kind  of  a  craft  is  it  ?  A  mixed 
lot  like  her  crew,  but  by  my  faith,  she  cuts  the  water  clev 
erly  and  answers  her  helm  as  if  she  were  alive  !  Throw 
her  a  rope  there,  some  of  you  !  "  he  shouted  to  the  sail 
ors  who  were  bending  over  the  gunnel  agog  with  sur 
prise.  "Saints  and  devils  !  Were  the  crew  of  the  Pinta 
born  yesterday  and  shipped  since  sunrise?  Lay  her  along 
side,  I  say,  before  she  drifts  alee  !  " 

Martin  Alonzo  Pinzon  was  a  mariner  of  fifty-odd  years, 
broad-shouldered,  thick-necked  and  strong-limbed,  loud- 
voiced  and  plain-spoken.  Great  black  eyes  looked  out 
from  under  his  heavy  brows,  while  his  wide  forehead  and 
sun-browned  cheeks  fitted  well  their  framework  of  grizzled 
hair  and  beard.  He  was  the  Captain  of  the  Pinta,  under 
command  of  the  Admiral,  but  in  his  own  ship  and  with  a 
crew  enlisted  among  his  own  kinsmen  and  neighbors.  It 
was  rumored  in  the  fleet  that  he  had  loaded  her  at  his  own 
risk,  and  was  entitled  to  trade  for  his  own  profit  in  all 
things  except  spices  and  the  precious  metals,  in  any  lands 
we  might  find.  He  was  a  man  of  rugged  nature  who  com 
manded  the  respect  of  those  who  sailed  with  him,  though 
he  spared  neither  words  nor  blows  when  excited.  Lean 
ing  over  the  waist  of  the  caravel,  he  caught  my  hand  as 
we  dragged  alongside  and  drew  me  aboard. 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 


327 


"  I  should  know  your  face, " — he  said,  eying  me  closely, 
—  "but  the  name — if  I  ever  knew  it " 

"  De  Lajes,  at  your  service.  There  be  small  chance 
you  ever  heard  it. " 

"Yet  I  mind  it  now,"  h-j  said  with  a  smile,  giving-  my 
hand,  which  he  still  held,  a  hearty  shake.  "You  had  the 


shore  squad  at  Gomera.  I  remarked  then  that  you  seemed 
more  a  soldier  than  a  sailor,  and  were  over-young  for  the 
charge.  The  Admiral  told  me  you  had  learned  to  com 
mand  with  Gonsalvo  of  Cordova — the  flower  of  Spanish 
chivalry.  It  must  have  been  a  proud  school. " 
"  It  was  at  least  a  thorough  one." 


328  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

"  None  other  is  worth  a  man's  while  to  attend.  Only 
he  who  has  learned  to  obey  is  fit  to  command.  Thou  art 
welcome." 

Irish  Bill  had  clambered  up  behind  me,  and  the  crew 
crowded  around  us,  all  seeming  to  know  him,  though 
there  were  few  of  them  known  to  me. 

"And  when  left  ye  the  Admiral  ?  " 

"  On  yesternight." 

"So  near ;  then  we  shall  overhaul  him  on  the  morrow, 
unless,  perchance,  he  be  already  in  your  wake." 

"  It  be  more  than  one  day's  sail  for  the  Nina, "  I  an 
swered  ;  proud  of  the  craft  I  had  rigged. 

"Aye,  the  Nina  be  a  dull  sailer.  I  noted  that  your 
boat  finds  her  way — before  the  wind,  at  least. " 

"Astern  or  abeam,  I  never  knew  anything  that  liked 
so  ill  the  wind's  pushing.  I  think  we  have  come  two  full 
days'  sail  from  the  Admiral's  ship  since  the  sun  went 
down  yestreen." 

"  So  much  ?  It  be  a  strange  looking  craft,  but  she  hath 
a  sharp  nose  and  slender  waist  like  a  grayhound, "  he 
said,  looking  critically  at  the  canoe.  "I  need  not  ask 
who  was  her  builder,"  he  continued,  "but  would  fain 
know  where  she  got  her  rigging." 

I  told  him,  but  admitted  'that  a  suggestion  of  -the 
Admiral's  had  helped  me  much. 

"And  how  dost  thou  keep  her  on  her  course  ?  " 

I  motioned  to  the  Indians  to  careen  her  over  so  as  to 
show  the  false  keel. 

"Ah,  I  see,"  he  exclaimed,  as  he  caught  sight  of  the 
rude  wooden  reve  with  its  taut  canvas  cover.  "A  good 
notion,  by  St.  Francis  !  I  beg  your  pardon,  young  man  ; 
I  know  not  how  good  a  soldier  you  may  be,  but  you  are 
a  better  sailor.  And  in  what  plight  left  ye  the  Admiral  ?  " 

I  then  told  him  briefly  of  the  loss  of  the  Santa  Maria 
and  the  building  of  the  fort.  In  the  mean  time,  the  Padre, 
seeing  the  crew  gathered  about  me,  went  ashore  with  the 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 


329 


Indians,  about  two  bow-shots  away,  the  rowers  carrying 
the  canoe  upon  their  shoulders  through  the  breakers  lest 
the  keel  should  be  broken. 

"So  we  have  these  two  little  caravels  only,  and  are  a 
thousand  leagues  from  home  with  only  stormy  seas  be 
tween,"  said  Martin  Alonzo  with  a  troubled  look,  when 
he  had  heard  my  story.  "The  Admiral  is  a  great  navi 
gator,  but  it  cannot  be  he  will  have  the  hardihood  to  risk 
both  on  a  return  voyage  at  the  same  time.  The  Pinta  has 
sprung  her  foremast  or  she  would  be  the  fittest  for  the 
voyage.  As  it  is,  it  would  be  better  to  leave  me  here  to 
thoroughly  refit,  continue  exploration,  and  look  after 
those  who  remain." 

I  repeated  to  him  the  words  of  Juan  de  la  Cosa,  and  the 
appointment  of  De  Arana  and  his  lieutenants. 

"  De  Arana  and  forty  thieves  for  a  colony  !  "  exclaimed 
the  captain  bitterly.  "Is  the  Admiral  mad?  My  men 
are  true  and  staunch  ;  no  mutineers  or  grumblers  among 
them.  If  I  were  left  here  with  the  Pinta,  I  could  preserve 
order ;  so  could  my  cousin  Vincente  Yanez.  His  men 
are  true,  too  ;  but  these  who  are  to  remain  with  De  Arana 
—I  beg  pardon,  perhaps  thou  art  one  of  them  ?  " 

"  Indeed  I  am,  and  for  that  reason  I  wish  some  private 
speech  with  you. " 

So  we  went  into  his  little  cabin  under  the  poop,  and  I 
told  him  plainly  what  I  desired,  either  to  ship  with  him 
as  a  passenger  or  to  exchange  places  with  any  of  his  crew 
who  might  prefer  to  remain. 

"  And  thy  companions  ?  " 

"The  one  desires  to  go  also  if  he  can  make  an  ex 
change,  and  the  other — the  poor  Padre — is  bent  upon 
remaining  to  lead  the  natives  to  Christianity." 

"  He  will  find  De  Arana  and  his  crowd  poor  helpers,  I 
fear. " 

"  The  Admiral  expects  them  to  be  busy  gathering  gold." 

"Aye,  that  is  always  his  hobby — to  gather  gold  for 


330  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

him.  If  he  would  give  men  leave  to  seek  it  on  their  own 
account,  and  only  ask  of  them  a  share  for  their  Majesties 
and  himself,  they  would  have  some  motive  to  be  faithful  ; 
but  men  rarely  serve  well,  when  another  hath  the  larger 
share  of  what  their  labor  brings,  and  they  none  except  by 
favor.  Have  they  found  much  gold  ?  " 

"They  have. many  reports  from  a  place  they  call  Cibao, 
in  the  interior  of  the  island, "  I  answered  cautiously. 

"Aye,  it  be  always  in  the  interior.  But  I  think  the 
mine  lieth  nearer  to  the  sea  upon  the  other  side.  We  did 
get  some  pieces  there — I  did  shut  mine  eyes  and  let  the 
men  trade  their  little  wares  for  them  mostly.  The  bits 
will  yield  them  a  few  doubloons  apiece,  mayhap,  when 
the  voyage  is  over.  I  fear  their  hire  of  the  Admiral  is  not 
over-sure,  and  I  like  men  to  be  content  when  they  sail 
with  me." 

"You  expect  to  come  hither  again  ?  "  I  asked. 

"Who  knows  ?  "  he  answered  evasively.  "  These  new 
lands  be  all  the  Admiral's  ;  aye,  and  the  seas,  too,  so  he 
says  ;  and  whosoever  cometh  hither  may  neither  trade 
nor  discover  on  his  own  account,  but  must  needs  serve 
under  him  and  give  him  the  better  part  of  whatsoever  he 
giiineth.  I  like  not  a  hireling's  place  and  have  not  been 
wont  to  see  the  power  of  Castile  exercised  by  one  with  so 
strong  an  Italian  accent.  I  see  neither  pleasure  nor  profit 
in  such  service. " 

"The  sea  is  a  wide  gateway,"  I  suggested. 

"So  it  be,  indeed;  but  the  ports  are  narrow;  and  no 
one  goeth  out  of  them  but  with  their  Majesties'  permis 
sion.  '' 

"The  Admiral  will  have  the  ear  of  their  Majesties  when 
he  returns. " 

"There  be  no  doubt/'  moodily. 

"Think  you  he  will  say  aught  in  favor  of  the  Captain 
who  would  not  obey  his  signals  ?  " 

"  Damn  his  signals,"  broke  out  Martin  Alonzo.      "God 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA.  331 

and  Saint  Jacabo  !  Did  he  think  I  was  to  do  nothing  but 
tag  at  his  heels  as  if  tied  to  his  tiller- ropes,  with  a  thou 
sand  islands  and  God  only  knows  what  new  marvels 
waiting  to  be  found,  while  he  dawdles  along  one  shore 
and  then  another,  exploring  nothing,  learning  nothing, 
doing  nothing,  only  inquiring  for  the  Grand  Khan  and 
hunting  for  the  island  where  gold  be  found  without  the 
trouble  of  looking  for  it  !  By  Goddes  Son  !  I  be  but  a 
poor  mariner  who  cannot  live  always  on  air  and  promises. 
Here  be  dye-woods  and  cotton  and  a  hundred  things  that 
would  bring  money  in  Spain,  but  no  prayer  would  prevail 
on  him  to  let  me  take  a  cargo  or  sail  by  myself,  whereby 
I  might  get  some  credit,  if  I  made  no  profit.  I  saw  not 
his  signals,  neither  did  my  men.  The  Pinta's  sailors  be 
more  wont  to  gaze  where  the  bowsprit  points  than  hang 
over  the  taffrail  looking  for  signals,  astern.  Where  should 
we  have  been  and  what  lands  would  we  have  found  if  I 
had  not  disobeyed  his  signals  aforetime,  and  headed  the 
Pinta  southward  when  he  would  needs  go  westward  on 
his  meridian  ?  As  if  the  world  was  made  to  fit  a  geog 
rapher's  lines  and  notions  !  How  would  he  have  raised 
the  money  for  his  one-eighth  share  in  this  venture  if  I  had 
not  opened  my  purse  ?  Or  how  gained  a  crew,  if  I  had 
not  offered  my  ship  and  my  name  to  get  men  to  enlist 
with  him  ?  But  these  things  are  forgotten  now,  and  Mar 
tin  Alonzo  Pinzon  is  only  a  servant,  and  the  Pinta,  which 
showed  the  way  hither,  must  now  keep  under  the  lee  of 
his  rotten  old  hulk.  Forsooth,  her  Captain  cannot  even 
give  his  men  leave  to  go  ashore  !  I  am  only  a  plain 
sailor,  but  one  likes  not  to  have  a  man  who  hath 
risen  by  his  aid  lord  it  over  him  with  quite  so  high  a 
hand  !  " 

"The  Admiral  is  in  truth  very  jealous  of  his  privileges." 

"For  that  I  blame  him  not.      He  drave  a  bargain  with 

their  Majesties,  and  if  he  hath  the  better  of  them,  it  be  his 

good  fortune  and  not   any  wrong.      He  played  for  high 


332  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

stakes  and  hath  won.  That  is  all  there  be  of  the  matter. 
But  because  he  hath  won,  it  be  no  reason  why  others 
should  suffer.  I  did  stipulate  for  a  right  to  trade,  an'  if  he 
be  'Admiral  of  the  Ocean  Sea/  now  that  he  hath  discov 
ered  new  lands,  it  giveth  him  no  right  to  defeat  me  of 
what  I  did  engage  to  enjoy.  I  be  no  mutineer,  and  dis 
obeyed  no  order,  though  I  did  not  look  back  for  signals. 
He  told  me  that  when  he  sailed  he  would  steer  southeast 
by  south.  How  could  I  know  he  would  choose  to  go 
again  to  the  southwest  ?  I  could  not  box  the  compass  of 
his  fancy.  I  sailed  as  he  did  order,  and  in  the  six  weeks 
since  that  day  I  have  used  my  right  to  trade  to  good 
advantage  ;  in  lawful  commodities,  mind  you — not  gold 
and  silver  and  precious  stones  and  spices,  which  belong 
to  their  Majesties  and  the  Admiral — but  in  dye-woods  and 
.bright  colored  hamacs  and  paroquets  and  whatsoever  my 
experience  told  would  bring  money  in  Spain.  I  have  no 
fancy  to  be  declared  a  bankrupt  on  my  return  because  the 
Admiral's  hand  is  empty,  and  promises  be  not  enough 
for  them  that  have  bonds.  The  creditors  will  let  the  Ad 
miral  off  because  of  the  King's  favor  and  the  chances  of 
the  future  ;  but  Martin  Alonzo  Pinzon  would  be  sore  bested 
if  he  should  cross  the  bar  with  naught  to  meet  his 
bonds.  Thank  God,  the  Pintahath  enough  stowed  under 
her  decks  to  pay  the  outfitters  when  we  touch  Palos 
again.  If  I  may  not  return  here,  I  mean  not  to  starve  for 
helping  a  beggar  off  his  horse." 

"There  be  other  lands  which  have  ports  from  which 
ships  sail,"  I  said,  cautiously. 

"  What  sayest  thou  ?  "  peering  sharply  at  me  under  his 
bushy  brows. 

"Alonzo  Pinzon  might  clear  from  Huelva  for  the  port 
of  Bristol,  I  suppose  ?  " 

"Truly,  if  the  two  kingdoms  be  at  peace." 

' '  And  thence  he  might  sail  to  any  new  land  he  should 
find  ? " 


OUT  OF  THE  SLWSET  SEA.  333 

"Provided  it  be  not  within  the  limit  of  another 
power. " 

"Who  shall  know  to  whom  aland  belongs  where  there 
be  none  to  defend?  " 

"  True,  true  ;  a  keel  leaveth  but  faint  mark  on  a  shore 
line,"  he  responded  thoughtfully,  and  after  a  moment 
asked  :  "And  art  thou  of  the  port  thou  namest  ?  " 

Then  I  told  him  briefly  who  I  was  and  how  I  came  to 
embark. 

"And  thou  art  minded  to  engage  in  such  a  venture?  " 

"  If  thou  wilt  take  myself  and  comrade  to  Bristol,  I  will 
see  that  thou  hast  ship  and  crew  for  a  voyage  on  thine 
own  account.'' 

The  Captain  had  been  sitting  on  a  stool  with  a  leg 
across  one  knee,  his  hands  clasping  the  other  while  we 
talked.  Now,  he  dropped  his  head  in  thought. 

"I  am  subject  to  the  Admiral  on  this  voyage," 
he  said  at  length.  "If  I  knew  that  he  had  ordered 
thee  to  remain  upon  this  island,  I  could  not,  in  strict 
regard  for  my  duty,  permit  thee  to  return  on  the  Pinta  ; 
but  as  thou  hast  no  certain  knowledge  of  such  an  order, 
but  only  conceive  it  may  be  made,  I  see  not  any  reason 
why,  if  some  of  my  men  should  care  to  remain,  thou 
shouldst  not  go  with  me  in  their  stead.  Of  course  your 
names  will  not  be  entered  on  the  ship's  register.  I  know 
there  be  some  who  wpuld  like  to  stay — and  I  should  not 
be  sorry  if  they  did.  I  am  going  ashore  to  look  for  water 
and  will  take  two  of  them  along.  If  they  desert,  thou  and 
thy  friend  will  have  to  row  me  back. " 

Then  we  had  in  his  coparceners  in  the  caravel  and  its 
cargo,  who  were  also  kinsmen  and  sailors  under  his  com 
mand,  Gomez  Rascon  and  Cristobal  Quintero,  who  in  turn 
consulted  with  the  crew,  for  they  were  all  neighbors  and 
kinsmen,  having  nothing  secret  from  each  other  concern 
ing  the  voyage  and  their  common  interest, save  two  who, 
though  standing  on  the  same  terms  as  to  pay  and  profit, 


334  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

were  joined  neither  by  blood  nor  neighborship  to  them. 
These  were  willing  to  remain  both  for  the  pleasure  and 
the  profit  which  a  sojourn  in  this  region  promised,  as  they 
thought.  The  others  as  I  learned  were  all  the  more  anx 
ious  to  return  because  it  was  whispered  among  them  that 
the  Captain  was  minded  to  come  again  on  his  own 
account  and  they  chose  to  share  his  fortune  rather  than 
another's. 

It  did  not  take  long  to  settle  the  matter.  The  young 
fellows  who  went  ashore  with  us  were  even  more  anxious 
to  remain  than  we  were  to  go,  were  that  possible,  and  when 
I  took  them  aside  one  by  one,  and  gave  each  a  small  lump 
of  gold,  with  many  injunctions  to  speak  of  it  to  none,  but 
to  search  diligently  among  the  gravel  in  the  bottom  of  the 
river,  on  the  bank  of  which  the  fort  stood,  if  they  desired 
more,  their  eagerness  was  such  that  I  think  they  would 
have  deserted  if  they  had  doubted  our  willingness  to  make 
the  exchange.  The  sight  of  these  bits  of  gold  even 
staggered  Irish  Bill,  though  I  showed  only  the  smallest 
pebbles  in  my  possession,  but  the  hope  of  getting  back  to 
Galway  and  coming  into  these  regions  with  an  English 
craft  and  a  British  crew  was  too  much  for  his  covetous- 
ness. 

I  have  often  wondered  what  imp  it  was  that  tempted 
me  thus  to  deceive  those  men  who  were  doing  us  a  favor, 
the  value  of  which  none  could  then  understand,  being 
nothing  less  than  the  gift  of  their  lives  for  ours.  Of 
course,  there  was  no  gold  in  the  place  to  which  I  directed 
them  ;  or  if  there  was  I  knew  it  not,  and  I  do  confess  now 
with  shame,  that  there  was  no  reason  why  I  should  have 
told  this  falsehood  except  the  fear  that  they  might  dis 
cover  whence  it  did  come  ;  for  I  had  even  then  a  purpose 
to  return  and  secure  whatever  there  might  be  in  the  holy 
fountain. 

The  men  with  whom  we  bargained  were  Rodriguez 
Bermejo,  a  sullen  fellow  of  ill-repute,  though  a  good 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA.  333 

sailor,  who  vowed  he  wished  nothing-  less  than  to  set  his 
foot  on  Spanish  soil  again  unless  it  were  to  meet  a  terma 
gant  wife  he  had  left  behind  there.  He,  therefore,  sold 
to  Irish  Bill  for  a  small  piece  of  gold  the  little  store  of 
things  he  had  picked  up  in  traffic,  and  "the mistress,  too," 
he  added  with  a  shrug,  "  if  he  be  such  a  fool  as  to  go  to 
Molnios  for  the  sake  of  the  sorriest  jade  that  ever  gave 
a  man  the  jaw-fall. " 

The  other,  Juan  de  Sevilla,  was  a  jolly  young  fellow, 
who  wished  to  stay  from  mere  love  of  frolic  and  advent 
ure,  and  instead  of  selling  his  little  store,  desired  it  might 
be  conveyed  to  his  aunt,  who  had  been  at  the  expense  of 
his  maintenance  since  his  baby  days,  he  said. 

They  rowed  back  to  the  ship  to  get  their  dunnage  and 
say  farewell.  The  Padre  and  I  walked  into  the  wood  to 
be  alone  once  more.  I  wish  not  to  seem  to  speak  too 
highly  of  him  whose  name  I  am  scarce  worthy  to  men 
tion,  but  if  in  a  long  life  I  have  met  one  man  more  worthy 
to  be  called  a  saint  than  any  other,  it  is  surely  Pedro 
Corbacho,  the  unfrocked  priest  of  Logrosa.  It  was  not, 
however,  till  we  came  upon  the  new  lands,  filled  with  so 
many  and  such  gentle  heathen,  that  the  true  quality  of 
the  Padre  revealed  itself  to  us.  From  that  day  he  was 
like  one  inspired — full  of  a  burning  zeal  and  holy  inspira 
tion,  yet  cast  down  into  the  very  dust  by  the  sense  of  his 
own  unworthiness.  From  the  first,  he  listened  to  the  soft- 
flowing  words  of  the  unknown  speech  and  set  himself  to 
catch  and  construe  it.  In  this  work  he  had  been  untiring, 
and  was  the  only  man  in  all  the  ships'  companies  who 
really  knew  anything  of  the  Indian  tongue.  He  not  only 
gathered  words,  but  had  written  them  down  and  formed 
them  into  phrases,  so  that  in  a  few  months  he  hoped  to 
make  their  thought  intelligible  to  whomsoever  would  give 
heed  to  study  what  he  had  done.  This  was  to  be  his 
work.  By  this  he  was  to  win  divine  favor,  secure  rein 
statement  in  his  priestly  office,  and  so  gratify  the  woman 


336 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 


he  loved.      His  was  a  simple,  childish  nature,  but  there  be 
none  sweeter  in  all  the  world. 

"  If  I  be  but  alive  when  the  order  reversing  the  interdict 
is  signed  it  will  be  effectual,  and  I  shall  be  again  a  priest, 
even  if  I  never  hear  of  it.  This  will  console  Teresa, 
though  we  never  meet  again,  as  I  promised  her  that  we 
should  not." 


This  was  his  simple  faith — hopeful  that  he  might  be 
freed  from  reproach  for  her  sake  whom  his  very  love  had 
harmed.  So  he  was  anxious  to  remain,  that  he  might 
pave  the  way  for  the  Lord  Christ  to  come  into  the  hearts 
of  this  dusky  people,  while  I  returned  bearing  his  mes 
sages  to  the  woman  he  loved  so  well,  and  to  the  ecclesias 
tical  superiors  whose  approval  he  so  earnestly  desired. 

"Is  it  all  arranged?"  asked  the  father,  anxiously,  as 
we  halted  under  a  great  tree  whose  drooping  branches 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA.  337 

and  thick,  shining  leaves  shut  us  out  from  the  world  as  if 
we  had  been  in  a  temple. 

"All,  Padre,''  I  answered  reverently.  "I  wait  now 
only  your  blessing  and  your  behests." 

I  knelt  before  him  for  the  first  time,  as  if  he  still  bore 
the  Church's  commission,  and  laying  his  clasped  hands 
on  my  head,  he  prayed  earnestly  that  God  and  the  Virgin 
Mother  would  send  their  holy  saints  to  bring  me  safe 
through  all  dangers,  and  prepare  a  happy  welcome  for  my 
returning  footsteps. 

"If  only  thou  wert  going  also,  Padre,"  I  said  as  I 
arose. 

"It  may  not  be,  my  son.  Our  ways  lie  now  apart. 
Thy  duty  is  yonder ;  mine  is  here." 

So  he  pronounced  his  own  doom. 

"If  I  might  but  administer  the  ordinances  of  the 
Church,"  he  sighed,  "how  many  souls  might  not  be 
saved  through  my  labors  ?  But  if  I  may  not  gather  the 
harvest,  I  may  sow  the  seed.  God  knows  how  many 
millions  there  be  in  the  darkness  yet  eager  for  light !  I 
must  not  murmur  ;  I  may  at  least  teach  them  the  prayers 
of  Mother  Church  ;  and  with  fasting  and  an  upright  life, 
bring  them  to  believe  on  the  dear  Lord  Christ  and  Mary 
Mother.  I  can  learn  the  language,  too.  In  the  packet  I 
have  sent  to  the  Fray  Francisco  de  los  Reyes,  I  have 
given  the  pronunciation  and  significance  of  near  a  thou 
sand  words  and  phrases.  I  have  learned  many  more,  but 
have  not  yet  had  opportunity  to  write  them  down.  I 
have  asked  that  these  leaves  may  be  given  to  the  first 
priest  who  leaves  Spain  to  bring  the  word  to  these  poor 
souls  ;  so  that  when  he  lands  he  may  be  able  to  make 
himself  understood  by  them  to  whom  he  is  sent,  at  least  in 
a  few  things.  If  the  Lord  do  but  spare  me,  I  shall  have  it 
all  unraveled  against  the  coming  of  one  worthier  to  do  the 
work.  But  only  the  good  God  knows  what  will  happen. 
Shall  I  look  for  thee  to  come  again  ?  " 

22 


338  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

"I  cannot  tell,"  I  answered.  "Thou  knowest  I  am 
an  alien  in  Spain  with  powerful  enemies." 

"But  thou  wilt  deliver  my  letters?  "  apprehensively. 

"Even  if  it  should  cost  my  life,  Padre.'' 

"The  good  God  confound  thy  enemies  !  Perhaps  in  this 
way  He  may  have  ordained  thy  deliverance.  I  think  thou 
wilt  return,  and  should  aught  happen  I  will  leave  a  mes 
sage  for  thee  under  the  embers,  between  the  white  rocks 
where  we  did  hide  the  compass." 

"  Thou  wilt  console  Abaya?  " 

"Oh,  my  son,  my  conscience  smites  me  that  I  did  not 
rebuke  your  sin  ere  it  hud  proceeded  so  far.  How  shall 
the  gentle  princess  believe  in  the  true  God  when  the  one 
believer  whom  she  loved  hath  shown  himself  false  ?  " 

I  could  only  hang  my  head  and  dig  my  toes  into  the 
sand  of  the  lonely  spot  where  we  stood  in  acknowledg 
ment  of  the  justice  of  this  reproof. 

"My  son,"  continued  the  Padre,  "thy  sin  hath  found 
thee  out  even  as  mine  found  me.  It  isjust  that  it  should. 
Thy  heart  is  heavy  because  of  it.  Thou  hast  no  right 
to  complain ;  neither  have  I.  God  has  rewarded  us 
according  to  our  works ;  but  who  shalt  make  plain  the 
mystery  by  which  those  whom  we  have  wronged  are 
made  to  suffer  more  than  ourselves  ?  I  will,  indeed,  do 
what  I  may  to  comfort  the  brown  maid  who  loves  thee, 
but  I  would  thou  couldst  go  to  thine  own  without  this 
stain.  She  may  forgive  and  heaven  may  assoil  thee,  but 
one  who  has  done  evil  to  his  fellow  can  never  again  be,  in 
his  own  heart,  what  he  was  before.  I  fear  we  shall  have 
dark  times  here  in  Espanola  after  the  Admiral  departs. 
None  of  those  who  are  in  authority  command  the  respect 
of  those  under  them,  nor  do  they  realize  their  respon 
sibility.  The  natives  are  indeed  friendly,  but  they  be 
not  without  spirit,  and  arms  and  armor  are  of  little  avail 
without  justice  and  vigilance.  If  the  worst  cannot  be 
averted,  it  may  be  that  I  shall  find  it  in  the  way  of  duty 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA.  339 

to  go  alone  or  with  such  as  I  may  persuade  to  follow  me, 
to  the  mainland  they  call  Cuba,  where  the  wickedness  of 
our  own  people  will  not  hinder  the  spread  of  the  truth. 
Remember  thy  promise  to  visit  and  console  Teresa  ;  and  if 
ever  thou  comest  into  these  regions  again  be  sure  to  dig 
beneath  the  cinders  between  the  white  rocks  in  search 
of  tidings  from  me,  if  thou  hearest  nothing  otherwise." 

The  day  was  well  spent  when  we  returned  to  the  shore. 
The  Indians  launched  the  canoe  and  paddled  us  out  to 
the  Pinta.  We  scrambled  on  board,  and  those  with  whom 
we  had  changed  names  took  our  places,  the  sail  was 
hoisted  and  the  canoe  drew  swiftly  away.  The  wind  had 
shifted  to  the  southeast,  and  it  was  soon  lost  to  sight 
around  the  point  to  the  westward.  When  the  Nina  joined 
us  a  few  days  later,  cautious  inquiries  were  instituted 
among  the  crew,  but  we  could  not  learn  that  anything  had 
been  seen  of  the  Padre,  or  that  our  absence  had  been  noted 
at  the  time  of  sailing.  There  were  so  many  among  the 
crew  who  had  changed  places  with  those  who  were  ordered 
to  remain  that  it  was  evident  the  Admiral  was  not  likely 
to  scrutinize  very  closely  the  men  upon  the  Pinta  ;  which, 
indeed,  we  found  he  did  not,  except  with  regard  to  some 
Indians  whom  the  Captain  had  taken  on  board  after  con 
sultation  with  his  partners,  no  doubt  with  the  purpose  of 
selling  them  on  his  arrival  in  Spain.  The  Admiral  com 
manded  him  to  set  them  at  liberty,  because,  he  said, 
they  were  the  Queen's  subjects  whom  no  man  had  any 
right  to  restrain  against  their  will.  Howbeit,  when  we 
did  finally  leave  the  island  intending  to  no  more  return, 
he  took  even  a  larger  number  on  the  Nina  where,  from 
overcrowding  of  her  crew,  such  addition  must  have  caused 
much  discomfort. 

It  was  claimed,  that  they  were  intended  to  show  him 
the  way  to  the  island  of  Mantinina,  but  the  crew  of  the 
Pinta  put  their  tongues  in  their  cheeks  and  rolled  up  their 
eyes  in  scorn  of  this  idea,  which,  indeed,  had  little  proba- 


340  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

bility.  However,  the  Admiral,  for  this  or  some  other  reason, 
seemed  especially  desirous  of  keeping  the  crews  of  the 
two  caravels  apart  ;  some  said  it  was  from  fear  that  they 
might  mutiny  at  the  thought  of  leaving  such  delightsome 
lands,  while  others  surmised  that  he  was  not  without  fear 
that  the  Pinzons,  whose  neighbors  now  constituted  by  far 
the  larger  part  of  both  crews,  might  unite  in  some  design 
to  his  prejudice.  Whatever  the  reason,  in  the  two  weeks 
we  were  together  before  leaving  Espanola  there  was  little 
commerce  between  the  men,  and  though  Irish  Bill  and 
I  had  at  first  assumed  to  be  sick,  it  was  not  long  before 
we  stood  our  watches  openly  upon  the  Pinta,  as  if  we 
had  always  been  a  part  of  her  company.  Whether  the 
Admiral  took  any  note  of  us  I  know  not  ;  but  I  deem  it 
most  unlikely  that  he  did. 


IT  was  a  terrible  voyage,  that  first  passage  from  the 
New  World  to  the  Old.  If  the  journey  thither  had  been 
delightsome,  it  seemed  as  if  the  spirits  of  darkness  who 
had  so  long  held  dominion  over  the  lands  we  had  in 
vaded,  were  determined  that  none  should  return  to  show 
the  way  to  others.  We  sailed  northward  at  first,  accord 
ing  to  the  Admiral's  theory  that,  in  this  part  of  the  Ocean 
Sea,  the  winds  blow  ever  from  the  West — a  theory  which 
hath  been  often  enough  disproved  since  then,  but  which 
in  that  case  did  meet  a  confirmation  so  furious  that  we  not 
seldom  wished  it  had  never  occurred  to  him.  Hardly  had 
we  reached  the  designated  meridian  and  turned  our  prows 
due  eastward  when  storms  arose  out  of  the  west  and  waves 
beat  upon  us,  the  like  of  which  no  man  had  ever  known. 
The  two  caravels  were  but  as  cockles  floating  in  the  spume. 
For  days  the  air  was  dark  with  salty  spray,  and  sea  and 
sky  were  blent  in  impenetrable  gray,  a  cable's  length 
away.  At  midday  we  lost  sight  of  the  Nina.  For  thirteen 
days  the  wind  drave  on  the  ship,  sometimes  up  and 


342  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

down  the  great  waves'  sides,  and  sometimes  leaping  from 
crest  to  crest,  at  least  so  it  seemed,  but  all  the  time  strain 
ing,  groaning,  raging  on  its  eastward  course.  We  knew 
not  where  we  were,  how  many  leagues  we  had  come, 
how  many  yet  remained  before  our  prows,  on  what  coast 
would  be  our  landfall,  and  worst  of  all  we  could  not  guess 
at  what  moment  the  water  might  not  spring  up  beneath 
our  feet  through  the  holes  the  dread  teredo  was  boring  in 
the  caravel's  oak  bottom.  We  had  no  doubt  that  by  this 
means  the  Nina  had  met  her  fate,  and  that  we  alone  re 
mained  to  bear  tidings  of  the  new  lands  to  the  old. 
Our  foremast  was  strained  so  that  we  could  bear  little  sail, 
which  was  perhaps  fortunate,  since  it  might  have  proved 
our  ruin. 

One  thing  could  never  afterwards  be  doubted  ;  that  it 
was  just  as  easy  to  sail  up  the  side  of  the  world  out  of  the 
Sunset  Sea,  as  to  sail  down  the  westering  slope  into  it ; 
for  when  we  crept  into  the  harbor  of  Bayonne,  whither 
we  had  come  as  one  blindfolded,  out  of  the  smother  of 
that  terrible  winter  sea,  the  Pinta,  disabled  as  she  was, 
had  made  the  passage  in  little  more  than  half  the  time 
her  outward  voyage  had  consumed. 

Of  course,  we  knew  nothing  of  a  certainty  regarding  the 
Admiral's  fate  ;  but,  realizing  as  we  did,  how  hardly  the 
Pinta  had  come  through  this  terrible  strife  with  the  demons 
of  wind  and  wave,  there  was  none  aboard  her  who  dreamed 
that  the  smaller  and  weaker  craft  had  survived.  I  doubt 
not  that  the  Captain,  who  was  eager  to  go  again  untram- 
meled  by  another's  power,  both  for  trade  and  discovery, 
to  that  new  realm  whose  riches  and  extent  were  alike  un 
dreamed  of,  and  which  Spain  could  only  hold  under  the 
Admiral's  claim  of  "all  the  shores  washed  by  these  un 
known  seas,"  would  have  been  not  ill-pleased  to  be  assured 
of  her  loss,  even  though  his  cousin  Vincente  Yanez  Pinzo 
had  gone  with  her  to  the  bottom. 

He  would  have  been  better  than  flesh  and  blood  often 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA.  343 

gets  to  be  had  it  been  otherwise.  He  was  a  Spaniard, 
and  well  knew  that  if  the  Admiral  returned  alive  all  hope 
of  farther  venture  and  profit  in  the  newly-found  regions 
was  at  an  end  for  him,  so  far  as  any  voyaging  under  the 
power  of  Spain  was  concerned  ;  and  I  doubt  not  his  strong 
desire  did  something  to  confirm  in  his  mind  the  belief 
that  we  of  the  Pinta  were  all  that  had  returned  from  the 
antipodes. 

Then  we  crept  down  the  coast,  not  without  danger, 
safely  rounded  Padre  Santo  and  sailed  up  the  bay,  the 
Pinta  bounding  over  the  sparkling  waves  as  if  she  knew 
her  way  to  her  launching  berth,  as  many  sailors  do  affirm 
a  good  ship  does  when  she  returns  from  a  successful  voy 
age.  There  was  a  fair  breeze  astern  and  the  westling  sun 
threw  our  shadow  ahead  when  we  rounded  the  point  and 
wondered  that  no  signal  came  from  the  watch-tower. 
When  we  were  in  sight  of  the  port  we  wondered  still 
more  at  the  clamor  and  bustle  which  filled  it.  Boats  were 
shooting  to  and  fro,  flags  were  flying,  cannon  firing,  and, 
as  wre  drew  nearer,  Martin  Alonzo,  first  of  all,  descried 
the  Nina  decked  with  streamers  and  the  standard  of  the 
Admiral  flying  at  the  fore. 

It  was  too  much.  His  labors  in  that  terrible  voyage  had 
been  amazing.  For  days  and  nights  together,  he  had  hardly 
his  hands  off  the  tiller,  and  for  a  fortnight  he  had  scarce 
so  much  sleep  as  a  man  getteth  on  shore  in  a  single  night. 
Then  came  a  period  of  delirious  hope.  He  was  a  true 
Spaniard  and  liked  not  the  thought  of  sailing  under  another 
flag.  I  doubt  if  he  wrould  ever  have  mustered  courage 
to  do  as  we  had  planned.  But  this  sudden  blighting  of 
his  hope  was  more  than  he  could  bear.  When  he  turned 
back  after  recognizing  the  Admiral's  pennon,  all  saw  that 
he  had  in  a  moment  aged  as  with  years.  He  ordered  the 
Master,  his  cousin,  Francisco  Pinzon,  to  work  the  ship  up 
to  her  berth  and  let  him  not  be  disturbed  until  she  was 
made  fast.  Then  he  entered  his  cabin  and  shut  to  the  door. 


344  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

When  the  anchor  was  let  fall,  on  the  shore  and  in  the  boats 
around  us,  there  stood  a  jeering  crowd,  with  anxious  faces 
showing  here  and  there,  which  shouted  clamorously  for 
him  to  show  himself.  He  came  out  of  the  cabin  and 
going  up  the  ladder,  stood  beside  his  cousin  on  the  poop, 
his  feet  bare  to  the  knee,  his  gray  hair  tossing  in  the  night 
wind.  Folding  his  arms  he  looked  on  the  scowling  faces 
lit  up  by  the  torches'  glare,  like  a  lion  at  bay.  The  shouts 
and  jeers  grew  louder,  when  the  rabble,  already  drunk 
with  the  Admiral's  honeyed  boasts  and  mad  with  the 
innuendo  he  had  set  on  foot  against  his  second  in  com 
mand,  saw  the  Captain  of  the  Pinta,  not  arrayed  in  silken 
robes  but  in  the  common  garb  of  a  sailor  beaten  by  many- 
storms. 

The  Spaniards,  as  I  have  said,  be  the  most  subservient 
to  authority  of  any  people.  The  report  that  Martin  Alonzo 
Pinzon  had  disobeyed  and  deserted  his  superior  officer, 
the  Captain-General  of  the  fleet,  with  all  the  damaging 
suspicions  that  attached  to  it,  had  been  spread  among  the 
people  of  the  little  town  whose  chief  citizen  he  had  been, 
along  with  the  marvelous  tales  of  new  lands  which  the 
Admiral  had  found,  until  the  whole  populace  was  aflame 
with  resentment.  So  they  taunted  and  hooted  while  he 
stood,  with  white  face  and  blazing  eyes,  saying  nothing, 
until  at  last  some  one  cried  out  : 

"And  how  will  the  traitorous  mutineer  pay  his  debts, 
now  that  he  has  betrayed  the  Admiral  and  is  sure  to  lose 
the  Queen's  favor  ? " 

Then  Martin  Alonzo  stamped  his  bare  foot  upon  the 
deck,  held  up  his  hand  and  cried  in  a  voice  of  thunder  : 

"Be  still!" 

Then  there  was  silence  except  for  whispers  and  murmurs 
of  those  who  had  friends  on  board  and  were  anxious  to 
greet  them. 

"Knew  ever  any  one  when  Martin  Alonzo  Pinzon's 
word  proved  false  ?  "  he  asked. 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 


345 


And  no  one  dared  impeach  his  boast. 

"Know  then,  that  when  I  sailed  as  Captain  of  this 
ship  there  went,  partners  with  me,  her  two  other  owners 
copartners  also  in  her  cargo  and  the  traffic  of  the  voyage. 
Now,  in  their  names  and  mine,  I  here  declare  that  if  any 
thing  be  owing  to  any  outfitter  or  provisioner,  he  hath  but 
to  present  his  accompt  and  so  soon  as  we  shall  sell  our 
cargo,  it  shall  be  paid,  though  by  the  terms  of  our  obligation 
we  have  yet  three  months'  grace  in  which  to  discharge  the 
same.  And  I  furthermore  declare  that  we  have  decided 
to  pay  to  each  and  every  of  them  that  sailed  with  us,  not 
only  extra  wage,  as  we  did  stipulate,  but  two  months' 
full  pay  in  addition.  So  well  hath  our  voyage  pros 
pered.  " 

Had  Martin  Alonzo  known  all  that  had  happened  in  his 
native  town  that  day,  he  could  not  better  have  touched 
the  temper  of  the  people.  He  was  like  most  of  them,  a 
mariner,  but  he  was  also  a  merchant  and  known  to  be  most 
tender  of  his  honor  as  such.  The  Admiral  and  his  crew 
had  been  lavish  of  marvelous  tales  of  treasure  yet  to  be 
unearthed,  and  the  Indians  with  their  scanty  golden  orna 
ments  had  been  paraded  up  and  down  the  streets,  but  of 
present  wealth  there  had  been  little  show,  and  no  prom 
ise  such  as  this,  of  payment  on  the  nail,  which  is  what 
creditors  most  like  to  hear.  So  they  who  listened  sent  up 
a  great  shout  and  Martin  Alonzo  turned  and  stepping  part 
way  down  the  ladder,  called  his  men  about  him,  held  his 
hand  to  each  and  thanked  him  for  having  done  his  duty. 
There  were  few  dry  eyes  as  he  spoke  with  what  seemed  like 
a  farewell,  for  there  were  none  who  did  not  esteem  the 
rugged  mariner  and  sympathize  with  his  humiliation.  He 
said  all  were  at  liberty  to  go  on  shore,  but  asked  that  for 
his  sake  they  would  be  careful  to  avoid  quarrel  or  contro 
versy  with  the  Admiral's  men.  He  and  the  pilot,  he  said, 
would  keep  watch  through  the  night,  and  if  the  men 
would  return  in  the  morning  they  would  open  the  hatches 


346  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

and  show  their  friends  that  they  came  not  back  empty- 
handed. 

By  that  time,  the  deck  was  crowded  with  those  who 
were  come  to  greet  their  friends,  and  one  spake  up  saying 
that  on  the  morrow  at  nine  o'clock,  the  Admiral  and  all 
his  crew  were  to  go,  dressed  as  penitents  to  the  Convent 
of  La  Rabida,  to  give  thanks  for  their  deliverance.  Then 
all  eyes  were  turned  on  the  Pinta's  captain,  who  only  said 
with  a  smile  : 

"My  men  have  no  special  sins  of  which  to  repent,  and 
we  shall  give  thanks  all  the  better  when  we  have  showed 
our  friends  that  we  have  somewhat  to  pay  our  debts 
withal." 

Then  he  stepped  down  and  went  into  his  cabin,  after 
saluting  his  wife  and  some  friends  who  had  gathered, 
but  whom  he  did  quickly  dismiss.  Presently  his  cousin, 
Francisco,  came  to  me  where  I  stood  in  the  waist  urging 
Irish  Bill  not  to  go  on  shore  until  the  morrow,  and  said 
the  Captain  desired  my  presence  in  the  cabin,  adding 
that  they  might  wish  to  see  my  friend  also. 

"All  right,"  said  Bill,  "  I'll  jist  step  ashore  to  see  how 
it  feels  to  have  solid  ground  under  me  fut  agin.  Maybe 
I'll  take  a  bit  run  up  an'  down  the  shore  to  see  ef  I've  lost 
the  use  of  me  legs,  but  I'll  not  go  beyond  hail,  an' 
any  time  ye  want  me,  ef  Mr.  Latches— I  beg  pardon, 
Don  Sevilla, — will  give  a  whistle  on  his  fingers,  in  the 
auld  way,  ye  know,"  bowing  and  winking  toward  me, 
"I'll  be  aboard  afore  he  can  get  breath  for  a  second 
note." 

When  I  entered  the  cabin  I  found  the  Captain  sitting  at 
the  table  which  was  fastened  against  the  wall  between  the 
sternlights,  with  Gomez  Rascon,  one  of  the  owners,  on 
the  other  side,  and  a  lighted  taper  between  them. 

"  Thou  didst  hear  what  I  said  ?  "  inquired  Martin  Alonzo, 
abruptly. 

"It  was  nobly  spoken,"  I  answered,  heartily. 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA.  347 

"  Hout  man!  ''  he  responded  brusquely,  "here  be 
Gomez  Rascon,  who  hath  more  sense  in  his  little  ringer 
than  most  men  carry  in  their  heads,  says  it  was  a  fool's 
boast !  " 

"Not  so, "  interrupted  Rascon,  reproachfully.  "I  said 
they  were  the  words  of  a  brave  man  rather  than  a  wise 
one." 

"It  matters  not,  Gomez  ;  thou  wert  right  as  thou  always 
art,"  with  a  wave  of  his  hand  toward  his  partner.  Then 
turning  to  me,  "  what  he  says  is  this  :  because  of  these 
words  the  Admiral  will  set  the  alguazils  to  spy  upon  us, 
and  mayhap  the  judges  to  pursue  us  and  find  out  whether 
we  have  any  goods  that  be  proscribed  to  private  traffic  ; 
and  if  such  be  found,  our  cargo  will  be  libelled,  so  that  we 
shall  be  unable  to  sell  it  in  time  to  meet  the  pledge  I  fool 
ishly  gave.  We  have  violated  no  law  nor  done  aught 
not  clearly  within  our  privilege,  as  traders  who  had  staked 
our  money  and  our  credit  in  the  venture  wherein  we  were 
embarked.  The  enterprise  was  not  wholly  for  the  Admi 
ral's  advantage,  though  he  seems  to  think  so  now  ;  neither 
was  it  at  the  instance  or  wholly  in  the  pay  of  the  sover 
eigns.  They  did,  indeed,  provide  that  the  town  of  Palos 
should  pay  us  two  months'  rental  for  our  ships  and  equip 
ment,  which  rental  was  almost  expired  before  a  sail  was 
hoist  upon  the  voyage.  The  ships  were  refitted  and  pro 
visioned  at  the  expense  of  the  sovereign  and  certain  arti 
cles  provided  for  a  cargo  with  which  to  traffic  with  such 
people  as  we  might  find,  for  the  profit  of  their  Majesties. 
Of  this  the  Admiral  was  to  have  one-third,  provided  he  did 
pay  one-third  of  the  expense,  but  he  had  no  money.  So 
hazardous  was  the  venture  that  no  usurer  would  furnish 
him  funds  except  upon  another's  security.  Thereupon, 
what  did  the  owners  of  the  Pinta  and  the  Nina,  the  Pin- 
zons  and  the  Rascons,  mariners  and  traders  of  the  port 
of  Palos  by  my  advice  and  entreaty  ?  On  condition  that 
we  be  allowed  to  lade  our  own  caravels  as  we  saw 


348  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

fit,  and  be  permitted  to  trade  with  such  peoples  as  might 
be  found  for  our  own  profit,  in  all  things  save  gold  and 
silver,  spices  and  precious  stones,  we  did  become  the 
Admiral's  surety  for  his  share  of  the  cargo  of  the  Santa 
Maria.  He  did  arrange  with  others  for  a  part,  so  we  be 
not  holden  for  the  whole  ;  and  this  credit  it  seemeth  prob 
able  the  usurers  will  extend;  so  we  shtill  secure  release 
thereof.  But  we  be  holden  for  our  own  purchases  and  also 
for  the  double  pay  we  did  offer  our  neighbors  who  sailed 
with  us,  in  order  that  we  might  have  seamen  on  whom 
we  could  rely.  Should  that  happen  which  Gomez  doth 
fear,  it  would  turn  us  all  out  of  doors,  even  if  it  did  not 
lay  us  by  the  heels  in  jail." 

"  If  I  can  in  any  manner  serve  you,  it  is  needful  only 
to  command  me,"  I  said. 

"Thou  hast  our  thanks  in  advance.  Gomez  said  thou 
wert  to  be  trusted.  In  a  word,  then,  while  we  have  not 
transgressed  or  exceeded  our  stipulation  it  might  seem 
that  we  had.  We  have  not  '  traded  for  gold  or  silver  or 
precious  stones,'  which  are  within  the  interdict  on  private 
traffic.  But  while  we  lay  upon  the  further  side  of  Espa- 
iiola,  there  did  come  two  canoes  of  great  strength  and  size, 
laden  with  ferocious  Caribs,  those  bloody  heathens  of 
which  we  heard  so  much,  who  landed  on  the  island  and 
set  out  to  capture  prisoners  to  carry  back  for  some  great 
feast.  The  cacique  of  that  country,  who  was  very  friendly, 
came  to  ask  our  assistance,  and  sailing  along  the  coast 
we  found  the  canoes  but  slenderly  guarded  and  took  and 
destroyed  them.  Thereupon,  the  cannibals,  betwixt  our 
assault  from  the  sea  and  that  of  the  natives  from  the  land, 
were  wholly  overcome.  Upon  the  bodies  of  those  slain 
were  found  a  number  of  pearls  which  they  did  wear  set  in 
wax  almost  as  hard  as  flint  and  strung  about  their  necks 
for  ornament.  They  are  said  to  be  found  in  the  country 
whence  the  cannibals  came,  and  to  be  neither  metal  nor 
precious  stones  but  the  tears  of  a  shell-fish  not  unlike  an 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA.  349 

oyster.  Seeing-  that  we  did  prize  them  very  highly,  the 
natives  gave  them  to  us,  and  showed  us  how  to  remove 
them  from  the  mastic  wherein  they  were  set  without  heat, 
which  doth  destroy  the  luster  of  the  pearl.  They  brought 
also  gold,  which  is  abundant  in  that  part  of  the  island, 
and  gave  us  freely,  not  in  exchange  for  goods  or  in  any 
barter,  but  because  we  had  saved  them  from  their  enemies. 
Though  we  were  bound  not  to  trade  for  these  things, 
there  was  no  inhibition  against  the  receipt  of  presents  from 
such  as  we  might  succor  or  against  exchanging  hard  blows 
for  golden  guerdon,  as  every  soldier  of  fortune  doth.  We 
gave  each  of  our  men  one  of  the  pearls  and  divided  among 
them  as  equally  as  we  could,  one-third  of  the  gold,  because 
it  was  given  in  reward  of  their  courage.  There  remained 
to  us  this  much  of  the  gold  and  these  pearls."  He 
showed  me  two  bags  made  of  the  bladders  of  fish 
such  as  the  Indians  use  to  fasten  in  their  girdles,  in  which 
to  carry  small  articles  of  value.  "Our  whole  cargo  we 
did  exchange  for  our  present  lading,  which,  I  fancy,  is  far 
more  valuable  than  these  trifles.  However,  if  these  be 
found  in  our  possession,  the  officers  might  hold  the  lad 
ing,  fancying  there  was  more,  and  in  the  mean  time  we 
might  not  be  able  to  redeem  my  pledge." 

"It  is  ill-contending  for  one's  right  against  a  king," 
said  Gomez. 

He  was  one  who  spake  few  words,  but  those  he  uttered 
had  always  weight.  Martin  Alonzo  nodded  in  confirma 
tion. 

"Seeing,  therefore,  that  my  folly  hath  endangered  mine 
honor,  it  hath  occurred  to  me,  that  as  I  have  done  some 
what  to  pleasure  thee,  thou  wouldst  perhaps  be  not  unwill 
ing  to  serve  us  in  return." 

I  bowed  acknowledgment,  and  he  continued  : 

"  Thou  and  thy  friend  stand  on  our  register  as  Juan  de 
Sevilla,  a  careless  rollicking  blade,  and  Rodriguez  Bermejo 
of  Molinos,  a  man  whom  the  realm  be  none  the  worse 


350  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

that  he  is  still  beyond  sea.  None  will  suspect  that  we 
have  reposed  any  special  trust  or  confidence  in  these.  It 
is  our  desire  that  thou  shouldst  take  these  things  to  a  mer 
chant  in  Seville  who  hath  done  some  business  for  us,  ask 
him  to  credit  us  with  such  amount  as  he  may  be  willing 
to  advance  on  the  same,  and  get  the  money  back  to  us 
with  as  little  delay  as  possible." 

"  How  much  dost  thou  expect  for  them  ?" 

"We  know  naught  of  the  value  of  such  things  and  will 
have  to  ask  thee  to  use  some  discretion  in  rinding  out. 
If  we  had  as  much  as  a  hundred  thousand  maravedis  at 
our  command,  we  should  feel  entirely  secure,  but  if  thou 
canst  not  obtain  that  amount,  we  must  take  what  we  can 
get/' 

"It  is,  indeed,  a  great  trust  thou  dost  repose  in  me,  but 
I  will  show  that  it  is  not  undeserved,"  I  said. 

"We  will  not  conceal  from  thee,"  he  continued,  "  that 
it  is  necessity  that  compels  us  to  do  this.  Should  we  have 
commerce  with  any  save  our  crew,  suspicion  would  be 
aroused  that  we  had  made  over  to  them  our  wares  ;  but 
no  one,"  he  added  with  a  shrug,  "will  ever  dream  that 
we  have  entrusted  aught  to  Juan  de  Sevilla  or  to  Rodri 
guez  Bermejo  of  Molinos.  We  have  prepared  letters  of 
identification  for  thee  and  thy  friend,  which  will  secure 
you  from  interruption  within  the  realm,  since  the  year  of 
condonation  granted  to  all  who  engaged  in  this  voyage 
hath  yet  four  months  and  better  to  run  before  its  ex- 
piracy  ;  and  during  that  time  no  one  is  liable  to  arrest 
for  any  act,  civil  or  criminal,  done  before  that  date.  Such 
is  the  royal  proclamation  and  decree,  under  which  I,  as 
Captain  of  the  Pinta,  do  certify  thy  right." 

There  be  very  few  will  understand  what  relief  these 
words  brought  to  me.  I  had  looked  forward  to  renewing 
my  struggle  with  my  persecutors  immediately  upon  land 
ing.  Indeed,  I  had  expected  to  find  the  Familiars  on  1'  > 
•watch  for  me.  To  know  that  I  had  the  king's  amnesty 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA.  351 

to  oppose  to  the  king's  proclamation  for  my  arrest, 
lifted  me  at  once  above  all  fear,  and  I  saw  myself  taking 
passage  for  Bristol  with  Xarifa  in  my  care,  and  with 
enough  wealth  to  make  us  both  welcome,  when  we  should 
arrive. 

"  Who  may  be  the  merchant  to  whom  thou  wouldst 
remit  these  things  ?  " 

"His  name  is  Jacobo  Santo  de  Murillo — a  converted 
Jew  who  liveth  by  the  river-side  and  is  the  agent  of  many 
foreign  merchants.  Thou  knowest  him,"  he  added,  noting 
the  smile  which  came  to  my  lips. 

"  I  brought  a  letter  of  credit  to  him  which  is  not  yet 
wholly  exhaust,  I  think." 

"  It  is  well,"  said  the  Captain  with  a  sigh  of  relief. 
"Yet  I  would  that  thou  shouldst  make  inquiry  as  to  their 
value  before  thou  dost  lay  the  matter  before  him. " 

I  assured  them  that  I  would  use  due  care. 

"  And  when  wilt  thou  return  ?  "  asked  Gomez. 

"  Had  I  but  a  horse,"  I  answered,  "  and  have  not  for 
got  the  calling  to  which  I  was  bred,  thou  shouldst  have 
in  thy  hands  what  I  can  get  before  the  sun  riseth  on 
Monday  morn." 

"  Wilt  thou  indeed  ?"  said  Pinzon,  with  evident  relief. 
"  Let  me  but  know  this  done  and  I  ask  no  more.  My 
cousin,  the  innkeeper,  will  find  thee  a  mount  an'  thou 
mention  my  name  ;  if,  indeed,  the  Admiral  hath  not  taken 
all  the  horses  in  Palos  to  send  the  news  of  his  achieve 
ment  to  the  court,"  he  added  bitterly.  "Take  thy  friend," 
he  continued,  "with  thee.  I  would  not  thou  didst  travel 
alone  with  so  much  in  thy  care  ;  besides,  I  trust  not  the 
fellow's  wit,  especially  when  he  gets  his  fill  of  wine, 
though  I  doubt  not  he  hath  a  true  heart  and  a  stout  arm. 
Here  is  money  for  thy  charges.  Luckily,  we  have  had 
no  chance  to  spend  a  moidore  since  we  left  the  Gran  Ca- 
narios.  Francisco  will  arrange  thy  mounting.  It  may  be 


352  OUT  OF  THE  SUM  SET  SEA. 

well  thou  should'st  not  be  seen  at  the  inn — especially 
with  too  much  money." 

"Would  it  not  be  well,"  I  said,  "  if  I  can  get  the  sum 
thou  needest  on  pledge  of  these,  that  I  should  send  a 
part  thereof  and  then  one  of  thine  own  can  come  and 
conclude  the  matter?  I  will  not  conceal  from  you  that  I 
like  not  selling  another's  goods,  though  I  make  no  question 
of  bearing  them  safely,  for  that  is  a  soldier's  part,  and 
now  that  we  have  come  to  land  again,  I  find  my  thigh 
doth  yearn  for  the  chafing  of  the  sword." 

"A  Pinzon  trusteth  not  by  halves,"  he  answered, 
proudly. 

"I  meant  not  to  imply  a  doubt,"  I  said,  "but  I  have 
not  the  training  of  a  merchant  and  might  be  overreached. 
Besides,  there  may  be  matters  which  shall  make  it  hard 
for  me  to  return  at  once.  I  could  send  the  Galway  lad, 
who  is  as  true  as  steel  and  brave  as  a  lion,  with,  say,  a 
fifth  part,  and  thou  couldst  arrange  by  that  time " 

There  was  a  frown  upon  Pinzon's  brow  that  abruptly 
ended  my  excuse. 

"And  thou  likest  not  to  undertake  the  business,"  he 
began. 

"Nay,  nay,"  I  exclaimed,  putting  out  my  hand  in  pro 
test.  "  I  have  it  now  !  If  I  be  no  merchant,  I  will  send 
thee  one.  An'  be  he  alive  the  worthy  Jacobo  himself 
shall  come  to  thee  and  bring  his  own  moneys,  so  thou 
mayest  make  thine  own  bargain." 

"Thou  hast  it  indeed,"  said  Rascon  with  enthusiasm, 
"  belike  he  may  want  to  buy  some  of  the  cargo,  too." 

"No  doubt,  no  doubt,"  assented  Pinzon. 

"  But  what  shall  be  thy  charge  ?  "  asked  Rascon. 
"Martin  Alonzo  oft  forgetteth  that  men  serve  for  profit 
as  well  as  friends  for  favor." 

"There  be  none,"  I  made  haste  to  reply.  "  I  would 
count  it  shame  to  ask  reward  of  them  that  served  me 
freely  in  mine  hour  of  need.  If  a  merchant  may  be  gen- 


OUr  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 


353 


erous  it  behooveth  not  a  gentleman  to  set  a  price  on  his 
good  will.  Only  one  thing-  I  would  ask." 

"  Thou  hast  but  to  speak." 

"  I  would  like  the  privilege  to  buy  such  of  the  pearls 
as  I  may  desire  at  what  three  merchants  of  Seville  shall 
certify  to  be  a  fair  appraisement." 

"Art  thou  turning  merchant,  too?"  asked  Pinzon. 

"Not  so,  but  before  I  went,  I  did,  in  jest,  promise  a 
noble  lady  a  gift  of  pearls,  which  promise  I  would  redeem." 


"Assuredly,"  said  Pinzon,  "  we  do  assent  to  that. 
Write  it  down,  Rascon,  that  there  may  be  no  question  of 
our  willingness." 

"Accept  this  one,"  said  Rascon,  handing  me  one  of 
the  largest,  ' '  which  we  desire  to  add  unto  the  gift  to  your 
lady  without  charge." 

He  handed  me  the  paper  he  had  written  and  I  bade 
them  adieu. 

"  Fare-thee-well  !  St.  Jago  guide  thee,  and  God  and 

23 


354  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

His   Maiden  Mother  keep  thee  till  we  meet  again,     said 
Pinzon  as  he  shook  my  hand. 

We  little  thought  that  coming  Monday's  sunset  would 
witness  the  passing  of  this  proud  spirit.  His  heart  broke 
with  the  thought  of  dishonor.  He  may  not  have  been 
the  wisest  man  or  greatest  mariner  of  his  day,  but  there 
were  none  braver  or  of  a  more  rugged  honesty. 


"  I  WILL  bring  hither  thy  horses, "  said  Francisco  Pinzon, 
coming-  out  of  the  cabin  to  the  place  where  I  was  collect 
ing  the  few  trifles  that  composed  our  kits,  and  bracing 
myself  in  the  half-armor  I  had  worn  so  little  since  our 
departure  that  I  found  it  inconveniently  close  fitting. 
"An'  thou  wilt  take  my  advice,"  he  added,  watching  me 
a  moment,  "thou  wilt  wear  nothing  heavier  than  that 
shirt  of  link  under  thy  doublet.  An  Andaluz  cap  will 
serve  thee  better  than  a  helmet.  Thou  art  not  likely  to  be 
molested  in  a  night  ride,  but  if  thou  shouldst  be,  remem 
ber  thou  art  in  Spain  where  bare  legs  and  a  poor  apparel 
be  the  best  assurance  of  safety. " 

I  laughed  and  threw  away  the  armor  I  had  really  out 
grown. 

"I  suppose  a  sword  might  be  found  for  my  friend?"  I 
said. 

"Aye,  though  it  be  his  knife  or  his  fist  I  should  most 
fear  in  a  fray. " 

He  brought  me  a  heavy  hanger  with  a  flat  brass  handle, 
which  I  knew,  despite  the  gloom,  to  be  a  Moorish  blade, 
and  then  leaped  over  the  rail  to  the  sand,  for  the  tide  had 
run  out  and  the  Pinta  was  aground. 

When  he  had  gone  a  little  way,  I  put  my  fingers  to  my 
lips  and  whistled  for  my  companion. 

355 


356  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

• 

"Whisht  now,"  said  a  voice  at  my  elbow.  "  Ye  don't 
nade  to  wake  the  town,  though  there's  divil  an  eye  that's 
closed  in  it,  or  like  to  be  the  night.  This  be  not  Espa- 
nola,  me  lad,  where  the  trees  do  muffle  every  sound  ;  an' 
that  whistle  av  thine  will  run  a  league  over  these  bare 
hills,  I  venture,  and  be  an  able-bodied  whistle  thin." 

"Well,  suppose  it  should  ?  " 

"Will  ye  never  learn  that  ye're  in  Spain,  lad, — in  Spain 
where  a  man  doesn't  draw  his  breath  widout  lookin' 
round  the  corner  to  see  who's  listin'  til't  ?  " 

He  spoke  almost  in  a  whisper  despite  his  earnestness. 

"What  is  it,  Bill?"  I  asked.  "Has  anything  hap 
pened  to  disturb  you  ?  " 

"Gie's  your  neive  man,  till  I  get  aboard,  an'  I'll  tell 
ye." 

I  reached  down  and  drew  him  over  the  side. 

"  What  is  it  ?  "  I  asked,  impatiently. 

"Be  aisy,  now;  I've  a  wurrud  or  two  fer  yer  private 
ear,"  he  whispered. 

"  I  believe  you  are  drunk  ?  "  I  said,  doubtfully. 

"  Dhrunk,  is  it  ?  D'ye  think  a  quart  or  two  av  swatened 
vinegar  ud  make  a  full-grown  Galway  bye  dhrunk  ?  An' 
is  that  the  thanks  I  git  fer  comin'  ter  warn  ye  there's  divil- 
ment  afut  ? " 

"  What  do  you  mean  ?  " 

"What  do  I  mane?  I'll  tell  ye  now.  Whin  I  jumped 
ashore — the  tide  wasn't  out  thin,  an'  it  was  a  tidy  step 
from  the  gunnel  to  the  sand — a  lape  that  not  every  wan 
ud  thry  ;  but  I  made  it,  blessed  be  God,  with  a  fut  or  two 
to  spare.  Seein'  which,  an'  feelin'  I  was  on  terry  firme 
wance  more,  set  me  up  so  that  I  had  to  turn  a  handspring 
or  two,  an'  thin  set  out  fer  a  run.  Jest  ter  git  the  kinks 
out  av  me  legs,  ye  know.  So  I  run  through  the  town, 
what  there  is  of  the  little  mud-coop  consarn,  to  the  hill 
back  of  it,  pranced  round  among  the  vineyards  for  awhile 
an'  then  kem  back,  cold,  sober  an'  quiet  by  mesilf,  ye 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA.  357 

know.     Jest  as  I  got  to  what  they  call  the  plaza,  an'  was 
debatin'  in  me  mind  whether  I'd  betther  go  to  the  posayda 
an'  git  a  drap  av  wine  to   kape  from   catchin'  cauld  afther 
me  breather,  I  heard  a  fellow  at  me  elbow — how  he  got 
there   be  sure  I  know   not — say,   as  softly  as   ye  plaze  : 
'God  be  with  thee,  stranger.'     Av  coorse  I  knew  what  it 
was  in  a  second,  an'  though  I  wished  him  at  the  divil,  I 
mustered  up  the  best  grace  I  could  in  Spanish,  an  gave 
him  as  fair  a  lie  as  he  sint.      '  Thou  art  one  of  the  sailors 
just  arrived  from  the  new  lands,  I  take  it  ? '  he  sez.     The 
which  I  tould  him  I'd  not  deny.     Thin  he  asked  me  name, 
and  bedad,  fer  a  minit  I  couldn't  make  out  mesilf  who  I 
was  now  ;  so  I   tould  him  that,  savin'  his   cloth,  I'd  bin 
known  by  a  nickname  so  long  I'd  have  ter  look  over  the 
ship's  book  ter  find  who  I  was  whin  we  sailed.     Whereat 
he  laughed,  under  his  breath  like,  an'  said  it  wouldn't  nade 
any  book  to  tell  him  whare  I  wuz  from.     I  tould  him  that 
was  more  than  some  payple  knew,  or  who  might  be  their 
forebears    eyther.     Thin    he   chuckled   agin,    an'    sed   he 
'sposed  I   must  have   got  pretty  well  acquent  with   me 
mates  on  so  long  a  v'y'ge  ;  an'  I  tould  him  fairly  well,  for 
av  coorse  a  man  can't  rub  up  agen  another  six  months  at 
a  time  widout  know'n  something  aboot  him.     Then  he 
axed  me  did  I  know  aught  of  a  man   named  Del  Porro. 
Av  coorse,  I  tould  him  I  did  not.     Or  one  named  Latches, 
he  asked.     I  could  not  remember  any  such  name.     He 
might   have  called  hisself  Arturo  Lac,   he   said.      '  Aye, ' 
said  I,   'a  smooth-faced  English  lad?'     'I  know  naught 
of  his   appearance,'  he  did  make  reply,  'but  I  was  re 
quested  to  find  out  if  ever  he  set  foot  ashore  at  this  port 
again.'      'Bedad, 'sez  I,   '  I  reckon    ye'll  have  a  long  job 
av  it ;  sure,  we  left  the  poor  lad  behint  that  bad  wid  the 
fever  that  I'd  niver  look  fer  him  to  be  alive  the  day,  only 
that  an  Indian  princess  fell  in  love  wid  him  an'  is  a  nurs 
ing  him  no  doubt  at  this  verra  hour. ' " 
"  Why,  Bill  1  "  I  said,  remonstratingly. 


358  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

"  Nivver  ye  moind.  Ye  didn't  suppose  Bill  Ayers  was 
a  goin'  ter  give  away  anybody's  secrets,  did  ye  ?  " 

' '  Well,  what  did  he  say  then  ?  "  I  asked  with  the  sick 
feeling  of  the  hunted  victim  coming  over  me. 

"'Faith, 'he  said,  '  there'd  many  an  eye  be  tired  av 
watchin'  for  him  to  come  back.'  'Aye,  that  there  be, 
poor  lad, '  says  I.  '  Sure  his  fay  ther  is  an  English  noble 
man,  wid  a  castle  that  covers  acres  and  acres — its  meself 
that's  been  there  mony's  the  time — an'  I  do  misdoubt  or 
King  Henry '11  be  a  askin'  some  wan  pretty  loud  when  he 
hears  on't,  how  it  was  that  the  son  av  his  best  friend,  the 
young  Lord  of  Edgemont,  was  hunted  an'  harried  out  of 
Spain,  till  he  had  to  ship  as  a  common  sailor  wid  thieves  an' 
cutthroats  to  go  along  wid  the  Admiral  an'  die  in  Espa- 
iiola. '  'You  don't  say,'  said  the  praste — for  av  course  ye 
know  it  was  a  praste — or  a  spy  av  yer  old  enimy  listenin' 
to  me  story  as  ef  it  was  pure  Gospel.  'Ye  don't  say.' 
'  But  now  I  do,  I  tell  ye,'  sez  I,  '  an'  it  won't  be  long  afore 
others'll  be  talkin'  about  it,  too  ;  for  the  lad  he  writ  it  all 
out  over  there  in  the  Injees  an  sint  it  signed  an'  sealed  to 
King  Henry  hisself,  at  Londontown,  which  letter  we  did 
give  over  to  an  English  trader  we  found  in  Bayonne,  wid 
anchor  a  trip  an'  sails  shook  loose  for  Bristol.  It'll  not  be 
long  afore  King  Henry '11  be  a  reading  it  an'  postin'  a  man 
to  Spain  to  look  after  it,  too,  or  he's  a  different  man  from 
what  I've  always  heard  tell  of.' ' 

"What  did  he  say  to  that?"  I  asked,  seeing  that  the 
Galvvay  lad's  quick  invention  had  served  my  purpose 
better  than  any  plan  I  could  have  devised. 

"Nothin'  in  the  world,  but,  'Oh  dear!  Oh  dear! 
What  a  pity  !  What  a  mistake  !  '  Then  he  asked  me  to 
go  wid  him  over  to  the  posayda  which  was  all  a-light  an' 
a-roar,  too,  fer  that  matter,  along  wid  the  Admiral's  men  a 
makin'  merry  at  the  Quane's  expense." 

"At  the  Queen's  expense  ?  " 

"  Nothin' less.     Sure  the  Adnrr?.!  has  taken  possession 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA.  359 

of  the  place ;  sint  off  three  men  post-haste  wid  letthers 
for  the  Quane  ;  an'  has  giv'n  orders  that  his  men  be  served 
wid  all  they  want  to  ate  or  drink,  an'  if  the  Quane  doesn't 
pay  fer  it,  he  will,  he  sez, — out  of  thegoold  that's  ez  good 
ez  on  the  way  from  the  mines  in  Cibao  where  an  ordinary 
man  can  pick  up  the  matther  av  a  pun  a  day  widout  gittin' 
the  backache,  ye  know.  An'  the  hale  town  is  there,  as 
many  cz  kin  crowd  in,  that  is,  a-drinkin'  an'  a-won- 
derin',  an'  the  poor  Indians  as  naked  as  they  was  in  Espa- 
fiola,  but  lookin'  gray  and  peeked-like  from  the  v'yage, 
they're  a-sittiiv  on  wan  side  av  the  coort  lookin'  on  ;  while 
the  Admiral  wid  his  red  gown  on  is  walkin'  back  an' 
forth  a-talkin'  to  the  Alcalde  an'  some  av  the  foorst 
men  av  Moguer  that  hev  come  to  hear  the  great  news. 
An'  they're  a-hearin'  it  yer  may  believe  !  Lord  !  Lord  ! 
How  many  things  the  Admiral's  pink  eyes  did  see  over 
yander  that  ours  niver  noted  !  What  wouldn't  I  give  to 
hear  him  tell  the  shtory  to  their  Majesties  !  An'  the  byes 
a-listenin'  an'  a-noddin  '  Amin'  to  all  he  says  ;  all  the 
same  I  misdoubt  if  a  single  wan  of  'em  ships  wid  him  fer 
the  next  v'yage.  But  it's  grand — grand,  to  see  wid  how 
high  a  hand  the  Admiral  carries  it  off?  Not  a  step  will 
he  stir  until  the  Quane  herself  sinds  fer  him.  Ah,  but  he 
was  born  to  play  fer  big  stakes  wid  a  bad  hand  !  " 

' '  Well  ?  "  I  said,  seeing  that  his  reflections  were  taking 
him  away  from  his  narrative. 

"  Weel,  there  was  naethin'  more.  I  chaffed  a  bit  wid 
some  av  the  byes,  took  a  measure  or  two  av  wine,  an' 
thought  I'd  jest  slip  off  to  tell  ye  what  was  iri  the  wind, 
when  who  should  I  find  waitin'  fer  me  at  the  door  but  the 
same  black-coated  chap  I  had  been  a  talkin'  wid.  He 
walked  wid  me  a  leettle  way  an'  said,  kind  of  cautious-like, 
that  it  might  be  as  well  I  didn't  sphake  av  what  he'd  been 
talkin'  aboot.  It  seems  the  Admiral,  God  bless  him,  had 
already  give  out  the  list  av  them  that  stayed  in  Espanola, 
an'  yer  name  was  amongst  'em  ez  large  ez  life,  but  this 


360  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

chap  suspicioned  there  might  have  been  some  tradin* 
goin'  on,  an'  had  been  inquirin'  round  afther  yees,  but 
couldn't  get  arry  word  till  he  ran  a-foul  av  me.  He 
wanted  to  caution  me  that  it  was  ill-talkin'  about  matters 
av  public  consarn.  Av  coorse,  I  thanked  him  and  tould 
him  I  hoped  he'd  excuse  me,  but  I  hadn't  time  to  confess, 
fer  it  had  been  so  long  time  since  I'd  seen  a  praste  before, 
it  ud  take  the  matter  av  a  day  or  two  jest  to  call  over  me 
sins. 

"He  gave  another  av  his  chuckles  an'  said  he'd  no 
fancy  fer  the  job  av  givin'  me  housel,  though  he  doubted 
not  he  had  more  charity  than  some  I  might  meet.  If  I 
wint  to  Seville,  as  seemed  likely  from  the  Admiral's  talk, 
he  wished  I  would  call  upon  a  certain  praste  whose  name 
he  gave  me,  an'  tell  him  what  I  knew  av  Arturo  Lac, 
which,  av  coorse,  I  said  I'd  be  glad  to  do  ;  God  forgive 
me  the  lie  I  tould  ! 

"Then  he  asked  if  I  knew  the  name  of  the  unfrocked 
praste  I  had  spoken  av.  I  tould  him  we  only  called  him 
'  the  Padre,'  in  jest,  though  he  was  more  respected  among 
us  than  many  who  wore  a  gown  might  have  been. 
'  Was  it  Pedro  Corbacho,  sometime  Padre  of  Logrosa  ? ' 
he  asked.  I  tould  him  that  was  my  remimbrance.  He 
asked  me  some  more  questions  about  him,  an'  finally 
tould  me  there  was  a  woman  in  Seville  would  be  made 
happy  could  she  hear  what  I  said  av  him." 

"  Did  he  give  her  name  ?  " 

"Aye,  it  be  the  Teresa  av  whom  we  have  heard  the 
Padre  speak  so  oft." 

"Where  doth  she  dwell  ?  " 

"That  he  knew  not,  but  thought  I  might  find  her  by 
inquiring  of  the  Alguazil-Major  for  Teresa  of  Logrosa." 

"Why  of  the  Alguazil-Major — I  do  not  understand  !  "  I 
answered  in  confusion. 

"Faith,  I  know  no  more  than  thou  dost,"  he  replied. 
"  But  what  meaneth  this?  " 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA.  361 

Three  men  with  horses  and  a  lanthorne  were  coming 
from  the  inn  clown  to  the  river's  side.  I  explained  to 
him  that  we  were  to  go  to  Seville  so  as  to  be  out  of  the 
way  of  any  inquiries  that  might  be  troublesome  to  either 
of  us. 

"That  pleasures  me,  entirely, "  he  said.  "  If  I  could 
spake  their  lingo  as  well  as  thou  dost,  I  wouldn't  give  a 
bawbee  for  their  spies  an'  alguazils  ;  but  when  one  has 
'  Irish  Bill '  stamped  on  his  tongue,  how  on  earth  is  he  to 
make  payple  understand  that  he  is  Bermejo  ofMolinos? 
That's  what  I  want  to  know  ?  So  I'm  gwine  to  kape  close 
to  you  till  ye  get  clear  av  Spain  an'  all  this  Spanish  flum 
mery.  I  don't  care  whare  ye  go,  whither  it's  by  land  or 
say,  peaceably  or  forcibly,  ye'll  find  me  sharp  at  yer  heels 
whin  ye  cross  the  border.  After  that,  if  ye  want  to  part 
company,  ye've  only  to  tip  me  the  wink  an'  it's  done  ; 
but  till  that  time  comes,  ye've  got  wan  more  brother  than 
yer  mithcr  iver  heard  av. " 

I  shook  the  honest  fellow's  hand,  and  with  our  little 
bundles  we  climbed  over  the  side  down  upon  the  hard 
wet  sand.  The  innkeeper  had  brought  three  horses  for 
our  accommodation  and  that  of  the  sturdy  lad  who  was 
to  be  our  guide. 

"The  nags  be  all  right,"  he  said,  with  the  habit  of  his 
calling.  "  Tough  Andalus  that  always  outdo  their  looks. " 
I  had  taken  the  lanthorne  and  was  examining  each  -one 
separately.  "As  good  as  any  venta  in  Andalusia  can 
afford, "  continued  the  host.  ' '  I  kept  them  for  the  Admiral, 
who  I  thought  might  be  impatient  to  follow  his  messengers  ; 
but  he  hath  no  mind  to  stir  until  orders  come  from  their 
Majesties  ;  so  the  beasties  may  as  well  earn  a  few  mar- 
avedis  as  be  eating  off  their  heads  in  the  stalls." 

"  I  suppose  the  Admiral  pays  well  ?"  said  Francisco, 
with  a  sneer. 

"Nay,  but  he  promises  fair;  an'  I  doubt  not  their 
Majesties  will  redeem  his  pledge." 


362  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

"It  is  ill  settling  with  the  fiscal,"  said  Pinzon,  suggest 
ively. 

"  Not  so  bad,"  rejoined  the  innkeeper  with  a  shrug; 
"if  one  know  how  to  charge.  Never  fear  that  I  shall 
lose  a  farthing  on  my  score  ;  an  sorry  I  am,  cousin,  that 
Martin  Alonzo  is  at  outs  with  the  Admiral.  He  hath  the 
crest  of  the  wave  and  holds  the  key  of  fortune  ;  but  he 
looks  upon  the  Pinzons  with  an  evil  eye.  Only  this  even 
ing  I  did  hear  our  kinsman,  Vincente  Yanez,  beg  his 
leave  to  charter  a  ship  that  lieth  idle  at  Huelva,  fit  her  out 
at  his  own  expense  and  be  ready  to  sail  as  soon  as  royal 
leave  might  come,  to  relieve  those  left  in  Espanola  and 
bring  back  a  cargo  of  dye  woods  and  cotton.  But 
the  Admiral  would  not  hear  to  it.  None  should  sail  to 
the  Indies,  he  swore,  but  under  his  command  and  over 
sight.  He  will  be  in  no  haste  to  go,  and,  my  word  for 
it,  the  Pinzons  be  not  in  his  books  even  when  he  doth  ; 
nor  Palos  either,  for  that  matter.  I  do  misdoubt  or  when 
he  goeth  hence  to  Court,  Palos  and  Huelva  and  them  that 
served  him  at  his  need  will  have  seen  the  last  of  the 
Admiral." 

"  Mayhap  thou  art  right/'  said  Francisco,  moodily. 

"  I  have  not  kept  an  inn  five  and  thirty  years  for 
naught,"  continued  mine  host  with  assurance.  "The 
Admiral  hath  no  more  use  for  the  port  from  which  he 
started,  or  them  that  set  his  greatness  afoot,  than  a  chick 
hath  for  the  nest  where  he  was  hatched  or  the  shell  he 
pipped.  Aye,  thou  hast  picked  the  best,"  he  said  to  me, 
approvingly,  as  I  settled  myself  in  the  saddle  of  a  dark 
bay.  "It  is  easy  to  see  that  thou  knewest  a  horse  before 
thou. didst  sail  with  the  Admiral.  Well,  well,  it  was  a 
queer  flock,  saving  your  presence  ;  and  excepting  those 
that  went  from  these  villages,  I  doubt  if  the  Admiral  will 
keep  them  long  together.  Thou  wilt  find  some  cold  meat 
and  cakes  in  the  alforjas,  and  the  betas  have  a  fair  meas 
ure  of  wine  in  them.  It  is  an  uncomfortably  long  ride 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA.  363 

without  breaking  one's  fast.  Thou  mayest  drink  to  the 
Admiral's  health  and  at  the  Queen's  expense,  for  I  have 
charged  thy  refreshment  to  him." 

"And  the  horses,  too,  I'll  wager, "said  Francisco,  with 
a  laugh. 

''And  if  it  be  so,  cousin,  art  thou  harmed?  "  asked  the 
innkeeper,  gravely.  "The  lad  knoweth  the  way,"  he 
added  to  us,  "none  better  ;  an'  thou  wilt  find  him  as  brave 
as  a  lion,  too — an'  there  be  naught  to  fear.  Keep  along 
the  sands,  the  river  on  thy  left,  till  ye  reach  Moguer;  after 
that  bear  to  the  right.  The  moon  will  be  up  by  that  hour. 
Thou  wilt  see  the  trail  of  the  arrieros  across  the  plain. 
Before  the  dawn  thou  shouldst  reach  the  venta,  three 
leagues  from  Seville  ;  and  if  thou  takest  my  advice,  wilt 
rest  there  until  the  day  is  full  before  entering  the  city. 
The  robber  loves  the  dusk,  you  know.  Vay  usted  con 
Dios,  caballeros  !  " 

We  cantered  down  the  hard  sands,  which  gave  forth  no 
sound  ;  an  hour  afterward  we  left  Moguer  behind  and 
started  across  the  bare  plain,  beyond  which  the  moon  was 
shining  in  a  dim  purple  haze.  It  was  indeed  the  Old 
World — a  dead  world,  from  which  life  had  fled — in  com 
parison  with  that  New  World,  full  of  life  and  growth,  un 
worn,  undevastated,  unstripped  of  its  primeval  growth 
beyond  the  Ocean  Sea. 

There  was  no  sound  of  bird  or  beast.  The  silence  and 
the  sense  of  desolation  would  have  been  oppressive  enough 
but  for  one  thought ;  beyond  the  range  of  notched  hills 
over  which  the  moon  rose,  ran  the  Guadalquivir,  and  be 
side  it  slept,  Xarifa  !  Ever  since  our  homeward  course 
was  set,  my  thought  by  night  and  day  had  been  of  her. 
No  storm  had  been  fierce  enough  to  interrupt  my  dream. 
And  now,  I  was  so  near  yet  she  knew  it  not !  Would  she 
dream  of  me  as  I  stole  upon  her  in  the  night  ?  Would  I 
find  her  still  in  the  house  of  Rabbi  Ibrahen,  or  would  she 
be  with  the  Dona  Guadita  at  the  Castle  de  Ullana  ?  It 


364  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

was  three  years  since  I  had  seen  her  ;  almost  a  year 
since  I  had  heard  from  her.  How  had  she  fared  ?  What 
changes  had  time  wrought  with  her?  How  would  she 
welcome  me  ?  Would  she  know  my  face  ?  Would  she 
recognize  my  voice  ?  How  many  silly  questions  did  I 
not  ask  myself  as  the  dull  cattle  jogged  over  the  arid 
plain  ! 

At  midnight  the  guide  found  a  spring  by  which  we 
rested  for  an  hour  and  ate  and  drank  while  our  beasts 
cropped  the  scant  herbage  of  the  mesta.  How  sharp  the 
line  of  the  horizon  seemed  after  the  soft  leafy  crests  of 
Espanola !  Assuredly,  the  new  lands  were  far  more 
lovely  than  the  old,  and  thither  would  I  take  Xarifa.  At 
dawn  we  halted  at  the  venta  of  which  the  innkeeper  had 
spoken.  I  was  too  impatient  to  heed  his  advice  and  at 
sunrise  we  looked  down  on  fair  Seville.  I  sprang  from 
my  horse  and  knelt  in  thankful  prayer,  forgetting  the 
contingencies  by  which  my  hope  might  still  be  barred. 
So  frail  is  poor  humanity  ! 


I  HARDLY  know  how  I  was 
able  with  the  thought  of 
Xarifa  seething  in  my  brain 
and  my  blood  aflame  for  even  a  glimpse  of  her  sweet 
face,  to  resist  the  impulse  to  go  and  awake  her  with  an 
impatient  summons  ;  but  I  did.  My  breath  came  hot 
and  quick  as  we  drew  into  the  city  and  my  hand  trem 
bled  with  desire  to  draw  rein  and  spur  away  to  the  little 
house  in  the  shadow  of  the  old  synagogue,  where  I 
hoped  she  still  dwelt.  But  I  bit  my  lip  and  kept  on 
repeating  that  I  had  come  on  others'  affairs,  which  de 
manded  haste,  and  it  would  be  the  act  of  an  ingrate  to 
put  my  joy  before  their  need. 

So  when  we  had  put  up  the  beasts  and  the  guide  at  an 
inn,  I  took  the  faithful  Irishman  aside,  and  told  him  that 
as  I  had  many  things  to  attend  to,  which  even  if  the  affair 
of  the  Pinzons  should  make  no  delay,  might  keep  me  in 
the  city  for  some  days,  I  judged  it  would  be  best  for  us 
to  take  lodgings  of  an  humble  character,  such  as  might 
befit  our  assumed  station,  and  thought  we  would  better 
evade  suspicion  by  going  at  once  before  the  Alguazil- 
Major,  making  oirrselves  known  and  inquiring  for  such 
lodging  as  we  desired. 

365 


366  OUT  OP  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

This  we  did,  reporting  ourselves  as  sailors  just  come  to 
land  at  Moguer  and  visiting  Seville  for  our  pleasure,  and 
upon  being  asked  by  the  clerk  who  registered  our  names, 
how  long  we  intended  to  remain  in  the  town,  I  replied 
carelessly  : 

"  As  long  as  our  money  lasts." 

"And  then  the  sea,  again  ?  "  said  the  clerk  with  a  know 
ing  leer. 

"  Every  one  to  his  trade,"  I  answered.  "A  sailor-man 
earns  his  money  at  sea  and  spends  it  ashore." 

"Aye;  and  thou  desirest  to  have  a  good  time  in  a 
decent  quiet  way  ?  " 

"Of  a  surety;  for  what  else  should  we  come  to 
Seville  ? " 

"Ha!   Ha!     Truly!     I  understand. " 

I  slipped  a  piece  of  silver  into  his  hand  and  said  : 

"Pick  us  out  a  nice  place  then— such  as  thou  thyself 
wouldst  choose  if  seeking  lodgings  for  a  week  or  two." 

"  I  understand — I  understand,"  he  repeated,  wrinkling 
up  his  eyes  and  rubbing  a  bald  place  on  his  head.  "Ah  ! 
I  have  it  !  I  knew  there  was  some  one — I  will  tell  thee. 
There  be  a  woman  who  came  here  not  long  since  and 
registered  as  a  keeper  of  lodgings  for  men.  She  is  a 
widow,  I  take  it,  young,  handsome,  and  with  a  sister 
who  is — well,  a  beauty  and  no  mistake.  They  have  a 
quiet  place  near  the  river,  but  though  I  have  often  passed 
by  it,  I  know  not  of  their  having  had  a  single  lodger. 
You  might  try,"  he  added  with  a  wink,  "an'  they  like 
your  looks  it  would  be  worth  the  while. " 

He  gave  the  location  and  I  saw  it  was  but  a  little  dis 
tance  from  the  house  of  Jacobo  Santo  de  Murillo,  and 
just  on  the  edge  of  the  half-respectable  region  that  lay 
beyond. 

"  What  be  the  name  ?  "  I  asked. 

He  turned  to  the  book  and  wrote  on  a  slip  of  paper 
which  he  handed  me  : 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA.  367 

"Teresa  de  Logrosn  and  Maria  de  Logrosa,  licensed 
entertainers." 

It  had  not  occurred  to  me  until  that  instant  what  had 
been  the  meaning  of  the  man's  insinuation.  Now  the 
horrible  thought  flashed  over  me  that  the  woman  the  poor 
Padre  loved  was  unworthy  of  his  devotion.  I  determined 
at  least  to  find  out  the  truth  before  delivering  to  her  the 
message  he  had  sent.  So  I  arranged  in  my  thought  many 
severe  and  virtuous  things  that  I  would  say  to  this  false 
and  evil-minded  woman,  as  we  walked  towards  the  place 
that  had  been  designated. 

"  Is  this  the  Mistress  Teresa  de  Logrosa?  "  I  asked  of  a 
slender  girl  whose  great  black  eyes  looked  out  of  a  white 
frightened  face,  as  she  answered  our  demand. 

"Teresa  is  my  sister,"  she  replied,  and  a  flush  stole 
over  her  pale  face  as  she  spoke.  "She  is  ill,"  she  made 
haste  to  add. 

"We  desire  lodgings,  my  mate  and  I,  for  a  week, — a 
fortnight — -who  knows  ?  And  have  been  recommended 
to  your  care." 

I  bowed  politely  and  spoke  in  as  easy,  matter-of-course 
tone  as  I  could  assume. 

"Really — you — we — there  is  but  one  room — that  is 
vacant,  that  is,"  she  stammered. 

"An'  phwat  the  divil  more  should  we  want?"  asked 
Bill,  on  whom  the  girl's  beauty  evidently  made  a  great 
impression.  "Wan  room  fertwo  av  us,  is  more'n  enough 
fer  sailor-men  who  haven't  slept  in  a  bed  fer  months. " 

"We  be  sea-faring  men,"  I  explained,  "but  able  to 
pay  for  what  we  want."  In  proof  of  which  I  showed  a 
handful  of  coins.  "Indeed,"!  continued,  "we  would 
like  to  pay  for  a  week  in  advance  before  our  money  slips 
away  from  us." 

She  did  not  smile  at  my  jest.  Her  eyes  were  fixed 
almost  hungrily,  I  thought,  upon  the  coin. 

"  But  indeed,  senors "  she  began  hesitatingly. 


368  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

' '  We  came  from  Palos, "  I  answered,  ' '  where  we  arrived 
but  yesterday  in  ships  that  set  out  nigh  a  year  ago  to  find 
the  way  to  Ind,  which  we  have  found  and  brought  back 
stores  of  gold  and  other  precious  things." 

"But — but— truly,  sefiors "  the  girl  began  again,  in 

tones  of  pitiful  entreaty. 

Before  she  had  time  to  say  more,  a  tall  woman,  whose 
red  lips,  unnaturally  bright  eyes,  and  softly  flushed 
cheeks,  told  the  unmistakable  story  of  the  hectic,  though 
I  did  not  then  perceive  their  significance,  glided  between 
us,  coming  I  know  not  whence,  and  laying  her  hand  on 
the  girl's  upraised  wrist,  she  said,  gently  : 

"We  will  receive  you,  sefiors.  Will  you  enter  and 
view  your  apartment  ?  " 

There  was  a  look  of  strange  horror  in  the  young  girl's 
eyes,  as  she  heard  these  words,  which  I  could  not  under 
stand,  and  she  kept  them  fastened  on  the  other's  face  as 
she  led  us  along  a  narrow  hall  and  opened  the  door  of  a 
room  at  the  end.  It  was  almost  bare,  but  wide  and  high, 
and  the  view  over  the  river  from  the  balcony  was  delight 
ful.  Whatever  it  might  have  been  I  had  already  deter 
mined  to  accept  it. 

"It  will  serve  us  well, "  I  said.  "  My  comrade  will 
bring  our  things  and  we  will  return  to  dinner.  Pardon, 
Sefiora,"  I  continued,  turning  sharply  upon  her,  "knew 
you  ever  one  Pedro  Corbacho,  of  Logrosa  ? " 

Never  shall  I  see  again  such  sublime  composure  as 
rested  on  this  queenly  woman's  face,  while  she  replied 
with  an  expressive  gesture  : 

"  Pedro  Corbacho  ?  Naturally,  at  my  age,  I  have  had 
many — friends?"  She  smiled  at  the  word — "And  Pedro 
Corbacho?  Methinks  he  was  a  padre — was  he  not?  A 
jolly  priest — somewhat  too  jolly — perhaps  ?  " 

"Aye,  he  was  a  priest,"  I  said,  severely.  "I  know  not 
how  jolly — and  lost  his  place  and  frock  for  love  of  a 
woman." 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA.  369 

"Such  things  have  happened,"  she  rejoined,  still  smil 
ing  and  with  an  almost  imperceptible  shrug. 

"  And  the  woman  who  was  his  wife — 

"Not  that,  surely,"  she  interrupted  with  a  start. 

"Well,  the  woman  for  whom  he  gave  up  his  place  and 
calling  was  named  Teresa  !  " 

"  Sayest  thou  so  ?"  with  a  bow  of  acknowledgment. 
"  How  romantic  !  " 

"She  urged  him  to  go  upon  the  voyage Cristofero  Colon 
was  about  to  make  in  search  of  a  new  way  to  Ind." 

"Was  it  not  wise  of  her?  What  can  an  unfrocked 
priest  do  in  Spain  ?  She  must  have  felt  very  kindly  toward 
him  or  she  might  have  advised  that  he  turn  robber. " 

Still  smiling  !     Was  the  woman  made  of  stone  ? 

"She  thought  he  might  regain  his  place  in  a  new  land 
— or  pretended  that  she  did." 

"In  either  case,  the  advice  was  good  and  kind — was  it 
not  ?  " 

The  great  black  eyes  looked  evenly  into  mine,  with  the 
smile  still  upon  her  lips,  but  somehow  they  burned  into 
my  consciousness  with  a  confusing  glare. 

"Teresa?"  said  the  sister  piteously,  plucking  at  her 
elbow. 

"Be  quiet,  sister;  the  stranger  hath  not  finished  his 
tale.  Thou  wert  speaking  of  Pedro  Corbacho  who  was 
Padre  Corbacho  once;  hath  he  returned?  Belike  it  was 
he  that  commended  you  to  our  humble  cosa  ?  " 

"Madame,"  I  said,  completely  overwhelmed  with  what 
seemed  her  great  depravity,  "I  know  not  what  to  think 
of  what  I  see  and  hear.  I  only  know  that  Pedro  Cor 
bacho  is  the  best  man  that  ever  lived  ;  that  you  are  his 
Teresa  ;  and  that  his  chief  hope  of  heaven  is  that  he  may 
meet  you  there.  He  has  remained  beyond  the  seas  be 
cause  he  feared  his  love  for  you  might  overcome  his 
resolution,  and  hopes  by  teaching  the  heathen  the  way  to 
heaven  to  win  his  own  way  back  into  the  Church." 

24 


370  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

She  clasped  her  thin  hands  in  front  of  her  heaving 
breast  as  I  spoke,  and  her  white  teeth  pressed  back  the 
blood  in  her  red  lips. 

"He  was  our  favorite  shipmate,"  I  continued,  "or 
rather  we  were  his  favorites,  and  we  honored  his 
Teresa  because  he  loved  her.  So  I  promised,  at  the  last 
moment,  that  I  would  do  two  things  :  deliver  into  her 
hands  the  letter  he  had  written,  and  see  that  want  or  evil 
should  not  come  nigh  her  while  I  had  wherewithal  to 
prevent.  Here  it  is,  Senora, "  I  continued,  angrily,  tug 
ging  at  my  doublet  and  tearing  out  the  Padre's  letter, 
which  I  had  sewed  in  the  lining.  "  Here  it  is — the  Padre 
Corbacho's  letter,  stained  with  his  tears,  which  I  have 
brought  over  a  thousand  leagues  of  wild  water  to  give  to 
the  woman  he  loved.  What  shall  I  do  with  it  ?  Wilt 
thou  take  it  ?  " 

' '  I  will  take  it, "  she  said,  stretching  forth  her  hand,  "and 
may  the  good  God  bless  thee  for  having  brought  it,  and 
for  having  brought  it  now.  Another  day — only  one — and 
it  might  have  been  too  late." 

I  looked  at  her  in  amaze.  Her  face  was  that  of  the 
glorified  Madonna.  She  kissed  the  packet,  folded  it  to 
her  bosom  and  stood  as  if  waiting  my  further  pleasure.  A 
thought  came  to  me — a  thought  too  wild  to  put  in  words. 

"  If  thou  hast  need  of  money, Senora,"  I  said,  as  gently 
as  I  could,  "  let  me  supply  it,  because  I  am  his  friend.  So 
long  as  I  have  aught  it  is  not  fitting  that  his  Teresa  should 
want  for  anything." 

I  drew  forth  a  handful  of  coins,  taking  note  that  some 
were  gold,  and  put  them  into  the  palm  extended  for 
them. 

"  I  thank  you,  Sen  or, "  she  said,  with  the  grave  courtesy 
a  queen  might  have  used.  "It  will  be  timely  for  the 
preparation  we  have  to  make.  If  there  is  naught  more 
you  desire,  we  will  ask  leave  to  withdraw.  You  will 
find  everything  in  order  when  you  come  to  dine,  senors." 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA.  371 

She  bowed  and  retired,  her  sister  clinging,  white  and 
frightened,  to  her  sleeve. 

"Well,  I  will  be  dommed  !  "  exclaimed  Bill  as  I  closed 
the  door  after  them.  "  What  does  it  all  mean  ?  " 

"It  means  that  there  is  a  mystery  here  which  we  have 
now  no  time  to  solve." 

So  we  went  to  the  inn  for  our  breakfast,  and  after  that 
set  out  to  find  the  merchant  Jacobo  Santo  de  Murillo  and 
make  sale  of  our  unusual  wares. 


HE  worthy  Jacobo  Santo  de 
Murillo  was  a  merchant  of 
repute,  though  of  somewhat  singular 
character.  He  used  no  sign  to  ad- 
vertise  his  wares  and  made  no  dis- 
play  of  what  he  had.  Yet  to  him 
resorted  all  who  had  goods  or 
estates  to  sell  or  who  desired  to  buy  anything,  great  or 
small,  that  they  knew  not  how  otherwise  to  obtain. 
There  was  always  a  flavor  of  great  transactions,  of  car 
goes  and  wharves  and  thousands  of  crowns,  about  his 
conversation,  but  if  he  had  any  wharves  or  warehouses  I 
know  not  where  they  were  ;  and  when  he  disbursed 
money,  it  seemed  mostly  to  come  from  another  hand. 
He  was  called  sometimes  a  merchant,  sometimes  a 
usurer,  and  was,  in  fact,  one  of  the  new  Christians  who 
had  discovered  a  way  to  disarm  the  suspicion  or  appease 
the  hostility  exhibited  toward  others  of  his  class.  What 
the  means  were  which  he  used  it  would  be  hard  to  say, 
but  there  be  no  doubt  that  extreme  caution  as  to  the 
character  of  those  with  whom  he  dealt,  or  appeared  to 
deal,  was  one,  and  a  scrupulous  avoidance  of  all  display 
of  wealth,  another. 

Apparently,  but  two  rooms  of  the  modest  house  in  which 
he  dwelt  were  devoted  to  the  purposes  of  trade.      In  the 
372 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA.  373 

outer  one  of  these  a  gray-bearded  man  bent  over  a  great 
volume  in  which  he  was  ever  making  entries  of  some 
sort,  what  I  could  never  guess.  There  were  shelves  and 
drawers  on  three  sides  of  the  room  and  a  smell  of  spices 
and  other  strange  odors  rilled  it.  The  door  was  always 
open.  A  narrow  table  ran  down  half  its  length,  on  which 
was  a  frequently-changed  array  of  merchandise.  Some 
times  it  was  heaped  xip  and  then  again  nearly  bare.  But 
no  one  carried  away  aught  of  this  stock,  at  least,  I  never 
knew  them  to  do  so.  Merchants  came  in,  looked  over 
what  was  upon  the  table,  asked  questions  of  the  ancient 
scribe,  sometimes  went  away  without  seeing  any  one 
else,  and  again  were  ushered  through  a  door  at  the  end  of 
the  shelves  on  the  right,  over  which  a  curtain  fell.  It 
was  a  strange  assortment  upon  the  table,  sometimes 
bottles  of  wine,  bags  of  quicksilver,  bars  of  lead,  candles 
and  dried  fish,  ivory,  dates,  and  sandalwood.  These 
things  were  not  for  sale,  but  kept  only  to  show  what 
might  be  sold  or  bought  through  Messer  Jacobo.  It  was 
said  he  made  his  advantage  by  knowing  what  every  one 
had  to  sell  in  every  city  of  Castile  and  every  seaport  of  the 
world,  and  who  there  were  in  their  Majesties'  dominions 
willing  and  able  to  buy. 

I  was  well  acquainted  with  these  facts  already,  and 
when  we  entered  and  had  saluted  the  ancient  scribe  I 
asked  him  straightway  if  we  might  have  speech  with 
Messer  Jacobo. 

"Can  I  not  do  as  well,  senors  ?  "  was  his  suave  reply, 
as  he  got  down  off  his  stool  and  came  forward  with  his 
head  bent  on  one  side  so  as  to  con  us  through  the  glasses 
he  wore,  which  seemed  like  black  patches  over  his  eyes, 
making  one  think  he  must  live  in  the  dusk,  even  at  noon 
tide. 

"Nay,  Benoni,"  I  answered,  for  the  clerk,  like  his  em 
ployer,  had  been  a  Jew  ere  he  became  a  Christian,  "we 
would  not  doubt  thy  sufficiency,  but  this  be  a  matter  for 


374  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

Messer  Jacobo  at  first  hand  :  to  recite  it  to  thee  would 
but  make  delay,  which  it  be  most  needful  to  avoid." 

"I  seem  to  know  thy  voice,"  said  the  old  man,  sug- 
gestingly,  "  but  my  memory  is  not  what  it  was." 

"  Do  not  blame  thy  memory,  good  Benoni,"  I  answered 
with  a  laugh.  "  I  am  not  half  as  old  as  thou  and  already 
I  have  forgotten  my  name  more  than  once." 

"  Who  shall  I  say  awaits?"  he  rejoined,  with  grave  in 
sistence. 

"Juan  de  Sevilla  and  Bermejo  of  Molinos,  mariners 
just  come  to  land." 

The  old  man  shook  his  head. 

"  And  thy  errand  ?  " 

"  Such  as  was  never  heard  before." 

The  clerk  stole  a  startled  look  at  us,  opened  the  door 
and  disappeared.  After  a  few  moments  he  returned  and 
as  he  made  his  way  to  his  desk  said,  without  any  attempt 
at  graciousness  : 

"  The  Master  will  see  you." 

Messer  Jacobo  sat  with  his  back  to  the  one  window  of 
the  room  we  entered.  Before  him  was  a  heavy  table  with 
crossed  legs.  The  room  was  littered  with  merchandise  of 
various  sorts  heaped  about  in  apparent  confusion.  At  his 
right  hung  a  curtain  and  still  another  across  the  room 
at  the  left.  Two  stools  stood  in  front  of  the  table.  He 
scanned  us  sharply  as  we  entered,  the  strong  dark  lines  of 
his  face  being  in  shadow  because  of  the  window  behind 
him.  Jacobo  Santo  was  a  Jew  at  heart,  despite  his  vehe 
ment  Christian  profession.  Hitherto,  he  had  been  all 
subservience  and  complaisance  toward  me ;  but  there 
was  a  difference  between  the  son  of  an  English  peer 
with  unlimited  credit  with  a  rich  merchant,  and  a  couple 
of  meanly-clad  sailors.  The  contempt  which  the  Jew 
hath  for  the  Gentile,  Messer  Jacobo  had  for  the  poor.  He 
scarcely  returned  our  salutation,  therefore,  but  said  in 
a  most  offensive  tone  ; 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA.  375 

"  I  am  told  you  insist  upon  seeing  me?  " 

He  took  up  his  pen  as  he  spoke,  as  if  to  intimate  that 
he  did  not  care  for  farther  converse. 

"  If  Messer  Jacobo  hath  not  time  to  attend  to  our  busi 
ness,  we  will  go  elsewhere,"  I  answered  hotly.  "He  is 
not  the  only  man  in  Seville  who  hath  ducats  to  invest  at 
large  profit." 

"  Will  you  be  seated  ?  "  he  asked,  pointing  with  his  pen 
to  the  stools  before  the  desk. 

"You  do  not  remember  me,  Messer?  "  I  asked,  seating 
myself  before  him. 

"My  clerk  said  you  had  forgotten  your  names,"  he 
answered  coolly.  "So  it  be  hardly  strange  that  I  should 
have  missed  your  faces." 

"My  name  is  Juan  de  Sevilla. " 

"  Truly  a  pretty  name — and  not  remarkably  un 
common." 

"Not  at  all  uncommon,  Messer  Jacobo."  I  knew  he 
hated  to  be  called  "  Messer,"  whether  because  it  smacked 
of  his  Portuguese  origin,  which  was  not  popular  among  the 
Spanish  people,  or  because,  being  unusual,  it  seemed  to 
imply  something  to  his  discredit.  But  I  was  not  above 
revenging  myself  for  the  slight  he  had  put  upon  us,  and  so 
used  it  as  often  as  I  conveniently  might.  "  Not  at  all  un 
common  ;  and  my  companion  here  is  Bermejo  of  Molinos, 
not  an  uncommon  name,  either.  You  see  we  be  common 
people  and  have  no  use  for  uncommon  names." 

"  But  Benoni  said  your  errand  was  an  uncommon  one." 

"  O,  our  errand  ?  That  be  another  matter.  We  be  sea 
faring  men  just  come  to  land  after  a  long  voyage,  and 
such  you  know  have  leave  to  do  unusual  things." 

"Whence  come  you?  " 

"Faith,  it  makes  small  difference  whence  we  come, 
though  it  was  from  Moguer  we  slipped  cable  when  we 
laid  our  course  hither,"!  answered,  simply.  "We  left 
there  yesternight." 


376  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

"By  St.  Estevan,  you  made  little  pause  upon  your 
journey,"  he  replied,  indifferently. 

"You  know  a  sailor  hath  no  time  to  lose  ashore. 
Having  naught  he  needs  to  do  he  is  ever  anxious  lest 
somewhat  he  ought  not  to  do  remain  undone.  So,  I  judge, 
we  did  travel  somewhat  faster  than  our  landlord's  cattle 
were  accustomed  to  foot  it. " 

Messer  Jacobo  nodded  assent. 

"But  not  to  take  your  time,"  I  continued.  "  I  would 
first  ask  your  judgment  of  the  value  of  this  trifle  ?  " 

I  handed  him  the  pearl  which  Rascon  had  given  me  as 
reward  for  the  service  I  had  undertaken.  I  had  cautioned 
my  companion  to  maintain  silence  lest  his  speech  should 
betray  us,  but  I  could  feel  his  start  of  surprise  as  I 
dropped  the  white  lustrous  orb  into  the  outstretched 
hand  of  the  merchant. 

The  good  Jacobo  manifested  no  surprise,  however,  and 
very  little  interest.  He  looked  at  the  pearl,  holding  it 
carelessly  on  his  palm  and  allowing  it  to  roll  back  and 
forth  so  that  the  light  fell  upon  it  at  various  angles.  Busi 
ness  was  dull,  he  said,  very  dull.  Yet  he  looked  at  the 
pearl  curiously,  and  at  us  still  more  curiously  as  he  spoke. 
It  was  a  good  pearl,  he  said — a  fine  pearl ;  that  is,  it 
seemed  to  be.  He  did  not  know  much  about  such  things. 
He  was  a  merchant  who  dealt  in  other  wares — fish  for 
fast  days  and  candles  for  offerings  to  the  saints.  Jewelers 
were  the  men  to  buy  such  things — jewelers  and  Jews — if 
there  were  any  of  them  left  in  Seville,  that  is.  Neverthe 
less,  the  worthy  Jacobo  took  out  of  the  drawer  of  his  table 
a  very  delicate  pair  of  scales  hung  on  a  silken  thread,  and 
weighed  the  pearl  very  carefully.  Then  he  hunted 
through  the  drawer  and  brought  out  a  lens  set  in  a  piece 
of  horn,  which  he  screwed  in  to  his  eye,  and  looked  it  over 
again. 

"It  seems  a  very  nice  pearl,  Senor, "  he  said  at  length, 
with  an  air  so  different  from  his  former  rudeness  that  I 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA.  377 

could  with  difficulty  restrain  a  laugh;  "at  what  price 
dost  thou  hold  it  ?  " 

"I  but  wished  to  ask  its  value,"  I  replied.  "  I  am  the 
buyer,  not  the  seller  ;  I  wish  to  buy  it — to  buy  several 
such. " 

"Ah,  indeed,  you  wish  to  buy  a  pearl,  three,  four,  five 
pearls — very  large  pearls,  white,  clear — not  a  flaw.  My 
friend,  such  pearl  is  worth  a  great  deal.  The  Queen,  God 
bless  her,  hath  none  better  :  I  know  not  even  that  she 
hath  as  good.  This  pearl,  you  see,  it  is  a  very  small 
thing  ;  but  it  is  very  thick  and  heavy — for  a  pearl,  that  is  ; 
— it  hath  a  good  color,  too  ;  sound  and — perfect  ;  that  is 
what  it  is — perfect.  That  pearl,  now,  might  be  worth  ten, 
— twenty  thousand  maravedis.  Some  people  who  want  it 
very  much — you  understand,"  giving  a  shrug,  with  out- 
turning  palms — "  some  people  might  pay  more — possibly 
thirty, — forty  thousand  maravedis  !" 

He  looked  at  me  expecting  no  doubt  some  indication  of 
surprise.  I  gave  none. 

"Ah,  you  play  me  a  trick,"  he  said,  lowering  his  black 
brows.  "You  know  better  than  I.  I  have  no  trade  in 
such  things.  Ah,  but  I  have  the  fine  bacallos  for  Lent, 
blessed  be  God  !  A  whole  sloop-load  from  Bristol,  just 
come  to  the  port  on  yesterday.  Will  you  look  at  them  ? 
Caught  in  the  North  Sea  and  cured  in  Ultima  Thule,  so 
the  captain  doth  assure  me.  Ah,  never  were  such  bacallos 
in  Seville  before  !  " 

"  Do  you  trade  much  with  Bristol  ? "  I  asked. 

"A  little — a  very  little,"  was  the  cautious  reply  ;  "fish 
and  candles,  for  which  we  send  them  wine,  azogue,  and, 
a  little  later,  wool ;  but  mostly  azogue.  I  do  not  know 
what  they  use  it  for,  unless  it  be  in  wizardry, — for  truly  it 
is  an  awesome  thing,  heavy  as  lead,  but  free  as  water, 
and  flees  from  human  touch  as  if  it  knew  the  taint  of  sin. 
Suppose  I  were  to  cut  that  bag,  now,"  pointing  to  a 
leathern  sack  lying  on  a  shelf  behind  him,  "  out  would 


378  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

pour  a  stream  like  molten  silver,  every  drop  having  a 
bright  eye  to  seek  an  outlet,  and  it  would  run — God  of 
Abraham — I  mean  the  good  God — only  knows  where  it 
would  not  run.  Truly  is  it  called  quicksilver,  so  quick  is 
it  to  flee  away.  But  no  man's  wit  be  able  to  bring  it  back 
— no,  not  the  half  of  it.  It  is  said — I  know  not  how  truly 
— that  a  great  alchemist,  or  necromancer,  whichever  he 
may  be,  lives  just  without  the  walls  of  Bristol,  who  is 
passing  rich  and  growing  richer  every  day,  for  he 
hath  found  the  secret  of  making  gold,  wherein  he  useth 
great  quantities  of  this  mystic  metal — if  that  be  a  metal 
which  hath  neither  form  nor  solidity.  I  only  know  that 
they  be  good  gold  pieces  which  he  giveth  in  exchange 
for  it." 

I  greatly  wondered  at  this  volubility,  since  the  worthy 
Messer  Jacobo,  in  the  days  when  I  knew  him,  had  not 
been  a  man  of  many  words. 

The  price  he  had  set  upon  the  pearl  quite  relieved  me 
of  apprehension  as  to  the  outcome  of  my  business,  since 
from  the  pearls  alone,  the  Pinzons  would  be  able  to  secure 
much  more  than  the  sum  they  desired.  This  assured 
me  that  I  would  soon  be  at  liberty  to  go  in  search  of 
Xarifa,  whom  I  grew  every  moment  more  and  more 
impatient  to  see  again.  It  is  strange  how  love  dwells 
in  familiar  scenes  !  Every  sight  and  sound  brought 
her  to  memory,  and  it  seemed  as  if  I  must  burst  out  with 
inquiry  to  Jacobo  as  to  her  health  and  safety  ;  but  I  did  not 
doubt  that  she  was  in  health,  and  had  no  fear  for  her 
safety.  Had  she  not  a  host  of  powerful  friends  ?  Was 
not  the  Queen's  closest  friend  her  godmother  ?  And  the 
Queen's  confessor — had  he  not  assoiled  her  also?  Oh,  I 
had  no  fear  !  I  only  wanted  to  hear  him  speak  of 
her. 

But  I  determined  to  discharge  my  trust  before  I  did 
aught  else.  So  I  choked  back  my  love.  Seeing  now  my 
way  clear,  as  I  thought,  to  a  speedy  conclusion  of  the 


OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA.  379 

business,  I  told  the  merchant  we  would  withdraw  for  a 
little  time  and  held  out  my  hand  for  the  pearl. 

"If  thou  wouldst  like  to  sell,  I  think  I  could  get  thee  a 
good  price, "he  said  with  evident  unwillingness  to  part 
with  the  jewel.  "I  will  give  thee  thirty-five  thousand 
maravcdis.  Come  now,  that  be  a  fine  price." 

I  shook  my  head. 

"  I  will  give  thee  forty  thousand.  That's  a  great  price  ! 
Think  of  it  !  Forty  thousand  maravedis  !  " 

"  Wait  until  we  return." 

"But  thou  wilt  give  me  the  refusal?  Thou  wilt  not 
sell  to  another  ?  "  he  asked  eagerly. 

"Thou  shalt  have  the  first  chance  if  it  be  sold,"  I 
answered. 

"What  didst  thou  say  was  thy  name?"  he  asked, 
taking  up  his  tablets. 

For  answer,  I  flung  upon  the  counter  before  him  Martin 
Alonzo's  certificate,  as  Captain  of  the  Pinta,  saying  : 

"I  will  return  in  an  hour." 

Then  I  hurried  my  companion  away  to  our  lodging  and 
unfolded  to  him  the  nature  of  the  business  I  had  in  hand 
for  the  owners  of  the  Pinta.  The  pearl  I  had  shown  to 
Mcsser  Jacobo  was  the  largest  of  the  collection,  but  I  had 
not  thought  it  worth  more  than  a  thousand  maravedis, 
and  do  not  suppose  they  had  any  better  conception  of  its 
value.  I  had  decided  that  the  best  way  to  do  would  be 
to  sell  the  whole,  and  send  the  money  back  to  them. 
The  only  question  was  how  to  remit  it  safely.  I  promised 
Bill  a  liberal  reward,  if  he  would  take  a  part  of  it  and  re 
turn  in  time  to  go  with  me  on  the  English  sloop  which 
had  brought  Messer  Jacobo's  freight.  Giving  him  what 
money  I  had  left,  I  sent  him  out  to  get  himself  shaved, 
procure  a  new  equipment  and  secure  horses  for  the journey 
the  next  day,  making  him  understand  how  necessary  it 
was  that  the  money  should  reach  Palos  on  Monday. 
Then  I  returned  to  the  merchant  whom  I  found  in  a  state 


380  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

of  great  excitement.  He  had,  as  I  expected  he  would, 
connected  the  pearl  with  the  return  of  the  Admiral's  ex 
pedition,  and  was  full  of  questions  all  bearing  upon  the 
subject  of  gain.  I  answered  them  but  briefly  ;  coming  at 
once  to  the  matter  in  hand,  I  said  : 

"Thou  art  the  agent  of  Master  Flemming,  of  Bristol,  I 
believe  ? " 

"  I  do  some  business  with  him — a  little — very  little," 
he  answered.  "Why  dost  thou  ask  ?  " 

I  noted  that  he  eyed  me  keenly  as  he  made  this  inquiry. 

"I  have  some  acquaintance  with  him,"  I  replied,  "and 
wish  to  make  a  deposit  with  thee  to  his  credit." 

"A  deposit  ?"  he  asked,  with  a  startled  look.  "Why 
shouldst  thou  deposit  to  his  credit  ?  " 

"Because  I  owe  him,"  I  answered,  with  a  smile. 

"  Thou  owcst  him  ?     How  much?     In  what  manner  ?" 

"  I  kno\v  not  the  exact  amount.  I  only  want  thee  to 
certify  that  I  have  deposited  with  thee  a  certain  amount 
of  gold  to  be  remitted  to  him  by  the  sloop  now  lying  in 
the  river." 

"  Gold  !  "  he  cried,  in  a  sudden  frenzy.  "  I  send  gold 
out  of  the  realm  !  Never  !  Not  so  much  as  a  penny 
weight  !  In  all  my  dealing  never  have  I  paid  gold  or 
silver  for  any  foreign  product1.  I  understand — thou  art 
an  agent  of  the  Holy  Office  !  Thou  thinkest  because  I 
was  born  a  Jew  I  am  not  a  true  believer.  Thou  meanest 
to  entrap  me  and  seize  my  property  ;  perhaps  to  cast  me 
into  prison  or  expel  me  from  the  realm.  May  the  Mother 
of  God  confound  thee  and  protect  all  true  believers  !  " 

He  crossed  himself  repeatedly  as  he  spoke,  and  at  the 
last,  turned  suddenly,  and  thrusting  aside  the  curtain  at  his 
right,  knelt  before  a  crucifix  attached  to  the  wall,  before 
which  a  taper  burned,  and  began  to  say  his  prayers  with 
great  earnestness  and  volubility.  I  was  much  astonished 
at  this  conduct  on  the  part  of  the  good  merchant,  which 
his  words  only  half  served  to  explain.  I  had  the  wit, 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 


however,  to  understand  that  so  great  terror  was  not  likely 
to  exist  without  some  good  ground  of  apprehension,  and 
his  mistaking  me  for  a  Familiar  of  the  Holy  Office,  which 
was  natural  enough,  since  they  do  assume  all  sorts  of 
disguises,  showed  me  the  character,  though  I  could  only 
vaguely  guess  the  cause  of  his  fear. 

"Messer  Jacobo,"  I  said,  when  there  came  a  pause  in 
his  supplication. 

"Get  thee  behind  me,  Satan  !  "  he  exclaimed. 
"Wouldst  thou  interrupt  my  devotions?  Hast  thou  no 
regard  for  the  Holy  Name  ?  " 

"In  faith,  Mes- 
ser  Jacobo,"  I 
replied,  "  were  I 
what  thou  deem- 
est  I  should  con- 
s  i  d  e  r  such  un- 
usual  show  of 
piety  a  very  strong 
proof  of  guilt. 
But  I  c  a  m  e  to 
trade,  not  to  listen 
to  thy  prayers." 

"What  is  thy 
pleasure?"  he 
asked,  coming 
forward,  while  he  wiped  the  sweat  from  his  brow. 

"I  think,  Messer  Jacobo,  that  we  can  be  of  service 
to  each  other  if  thou  wilt  get  thy  wits  together  and 
think  of  profit  and  loss  rather  than  the  dungeon  and  the 
Quemadcro  stone." 

"The  Quemadero  !  "  he  gasped.  "I  pray  thee  be  care 
ful  of  thy  words  !  It  beseemeth  not  any  man  to  speak 
lightly  of  the  Terror  which  doth  await  unbelievers  !  " 

"  I  trow  not,"  I  answered,  "but  one  needeth  not  to  feel 
the  smart  until  he  wears  a  sanbenito,  at  least." 


382  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

"A  sanbenito  !  "  he  repeated.  "I  pray  thee,my  friend, 
go  away  and  leave  an  honest  tradesman  to  his  business. 
I  know  thou  art  a  spy,  for  none  but  an  agent  of  the  Holy 
Office  would  dare  speak  thus  freely  of  such  things. " 

"  Messer  Jacobo,  did  you  ever  know  one  Arturo  Lac  ?  " 

"And  if  I  did,"  he  made  answer  quickly,  "it  was  but 
in  the  way  of  business.  How  did  I  know  that  he  would 
become  obnoxious  to  the  Holy  Office  ?  He  came  to  me 
with  a  letter  of  credit  and  this  I  did  cash  for  him  almost 
without  charge  as  Master  Flemming,  who  is  a  worthy 
merchant,  had  requested  me  to  do.  That  was  all ;  by  the 
blood  of  Christ,  I  swear  that  was  all !  " 

"Thou  mightest  at  least  have  remembered  him  and 
not  taken  him  for  a  spy,"  I  said. 

"What  ! — Arturo  Lac  !  Thou  dost -not  mean — he  was 
but  a  lad — though  in  truth  a  lad  of  thews  and  parts  !  " 

"Lads  do  not  remain  lads  forever  in  this  clime,  espe 
cially  at  such  times  as  these.  Toils  and  adventure  ripen 
men  more  swiftly  than  years,  Messer  Jacobo." 

"Why,  so  they  do  ;  but  who  would  have  thought  it  ? 
I  see  the  favor  now,"  he  said,  extending  his  hand.  "But  to 
think  that  thou  shouldst  mock  at  the  Holy  Office — thou  !  " 
he  added  with  a  look  of  horror  I  could  scarce  under 
stand. 

"Never  mind,"  I  said,  carelessly,  "who  I  was.  Who  I 
am  thou  knowest  from  this  certificate  which  I  brought. 
Now,  I  wish  to  sell  gold  and  pearls,  an'  if  thou  pleasurest 
mine  inclination,  I  can  put  thee  in  the  way  of  making 
much  gain  ;  if  thou  wilt  not,  another  must.  I  do  not 
understand  why  thou  shouldst  hesitate." 

"Hist,"  said  the  merchant  looking  carefully  around. 
"Come  hither  where  we  can  speak  freely." 

Crossing  the  room  he  drew  aside  the  curtain  which 
revealed  a  door  in  the  wall.  Passing  through  he  motioned 
me  to  follow  him  and  entered  a  small  room  where  a  lamp 
was  burning.  He  pointed  to  a  stool  while  he  sat  down 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA.  383 

near  the  door,  through  which  he  could  easily  hear  any 
thing  that  occurred  in  the  other  room. 

"Dost  thou  not  know, "  he  said  in  a  whisper,  "  that  it  be  a 
mortal  offense  to  mar  or  deface  the  coin  of  the  realm  or 
send  it  beyond  seas  ?  '' 

I  shook  my  head  in  wonder. 

"Thy  ignorance  proves  the  truth  of  thy  tale,"  he 
continued.  "One  could  hardly  have  been  in  Spain  the 
last  year  and  not  have  heard  these  things.  Know  then, 
that  in  enforcing  the  edict  against  the  people  called  Jews, 
who  arc  to  be  wholly  driven  from  the  realm,  while  they  are 
permitted  to  sell  what  lands  and  goods  they  may  have, 
they  are  not  allowed  to  take  any  gold,  silver,  precious 
stones,  or  jewels  with  them  at  their  departure.  Neither 
are  they  allowed  to  lade  horses  or  mules  or  ships  with 
goods  or  merchandise,  nor  to  take  with  them  cattle  or 
sheep  or  provisions,  save  such  as  each  one  may  bear 
across  the  border,  and  ordinary  clothing.  The  only  things 
else  of  value  which  they  may  take  are  the  tools  each 
man  of  his  particular  trade  and  bills  of  exchange  payable 
in  some  foreign  land.  Even  the  bond  of  a  Spanish  debtor 
is  confiscate,  not,  indeed,  for  the  debtor's  advantage, 
but  for  the  Queen's  enrichment. 

"  It  is  very  hard  for  a  people  thus  to  be  thrust  forth  from 
their  homes,  but  much  worse  when  they  go  stripped  of  all 
that  generations  of  toil  and  thrift  have  brought  them.  So 
much  is  forced  to  sale  that  property  goeth  for  a  song. 
Houses,  lands,  vineyards,  all  are  begging  in  the  market, 
for  the  sellers  be  many  and  the  buyers  few.  But  even 
when  they  get  the  little  their  goods  will  bring,  it  is  but 
rare  that  they  can  procure  bills  of  exchange,  since  it  hath 
been  decreed  that  no  man  shall  use  his  credit,  but  shall 
only  make  an  order  on  a  merchant  in  another  city  for 
what  is  actually  due  him  on  account.  This  is  all  the 
harder  because  for  a  long  time  Spanish  merchants  have  not 
been  allowed  to  pay  for  goods  and  wares  brought  from 


F  THE 

another  land  in  gold  or  silver,  but  only  in  the  products  of 
the  realm,  which  be  so  scant  that  only  rarely  is  there  any 
balance  in  our  favor.  If  it  were  not  for  the  sudden 
demand  for  azogue,  and  the  high  price  it  commands  in 
Bristol,  I  should  never  have  a  farthing  of  credit  there  and 
all  this  harvest  at  my  door  !  You  see  they  will  pay 
almost  any  price — ten,  twenty,  fifty  per  centum — as  well 
they  may,  since  it  is  a  choice  of  half  for  exchange  or  the 
whole  for  her  Majesty's  coffers.  Ah  !  if  I  only  dared  to 
use  the  credit  Master  Flemming  would  gladly  grant  me, 
what  fortunes  could  I  not  make  for  both  of  us  !  Christ  and 
St.  lago,  it  is  enough  to  make  one  forswear  himself,  to 
stand  barred  of  such  opportunity  and  see  a  woman  and 
the  monks  get  the  profit  which  should  come  to  honest 
merchants  !  But  there  be  no  help  for  it,  and  so  they  go 
out  naked  and  hungry,  only  to  perish  in  other  lands, 
whose  people  cannot  afford  to  feed  them  her  Majesty  has 
made  beggars.  God  of  Israel  !  but  she  must  have  a  hard 
heart,  to  rob  and  slay  so  many  !  For  how  many  souls, 
for  how  much  blood  and  suffering,  will  she  not  have 
to  account  !  May  Mary  Mother  pity  and  the  Saints 
assoil  her  !  No  wonder  she  doth  cry  out  against  her 
fate  and  bewail  the  cruelty  the  priests  compel  her 
to  perform  !  I  do  believe,  if  she  could  see  the  poor 
wretches  stript  of  all  and  driven  across  the  border  to  die, 
she  would  even  yet  relent.  But  who  dare  tell  her  the 
truth  while  Torquemada  lives  !  Alas,  poor  Spain  !  Poor 
Queen  !  Poor  People  !  And  poor  me  who  not  only  must 
lose  mine  opportunity  but  am  myself  suspect  and  spied 
upon,  because,  forsooth,  theirs  was  the  religion  of  my 
fathers  !  Why  should  I  be  punished  or  suspected  ?  Am 
I  not  a  Christian  as  well  as  they  ?  Do  I  not  believe  on 
the  Nazarene  ?  Do  I  not  observe  the  requirements  of 
Mother  Church  ?  Ah  !  we  be  fallen  on  evil  times  when 
one  can  neither  retain  the  creed  of  his  fathers  nor  safely 
abjure  it  for  another.  Neither  the  synagogue  nor  tho 


OUT  OP  THE  SUNSET  SEA.  385 

Cross  offereth  any  shelter  !     But  what  have  I  said  ?     How 
have  I  babbled  ?     Thou  wilt  not  betray  me  ?  " 

"You  have  naught  to  fear  from  me,"  I  answered. 

"Ah,  truly  !"  he  exclaimed,  with  a  sigh  of  relief.  "I 
had  forgot — that  thou  art  also  under  the  ban." 

"Not  now,"  I  replied.  "You  remember  all  who 
sailed  with  the  Admiral  of  the  Ocean  Sea  were  promised 
immunity  for  past  offences." 

"Thou  speakest  truly,"  he  said.  "I  had  indeed  for 
got  ;  but  I  know  not  whether  even  this  pledge  will  suffice 
in  times  like  these.  Harkye  !  "  He  put  his  lips  close  to 
my  ear  and  whispered  :  "The  King  hath  many  ways  of 
keeping  a  royal  promise  !  " 

"Thou  dost  not  mean  to  say  that  all  the  Jews  of  Spain 
are  thus  driven  forth  and  stript  of  all  their  possessions  ? 
There  must  be  thousands — hundreds  of  thousands  of 
them  !  " 

"Millions — three  or  four  millions  at  the  least,  and  all 
must  go  and  all  is  taken,  to  the  last  peseta.  Every  man 
and  woman  is  searched  at  the  border — the  alguazils  are 
very  keen  and  very  cruel,  too — -and  every  piece  of  money, 
every  jewel-stone,  and  every  bit  of  precious  metal  taken 
from  them.  Ah,  if  only  Master  Flemming  were  in  my 
debt — if  I  could  but  see  him  for  an  hour — what  fortunes 
we  might  make  in  these  days  !  Now  there  is  only  left 
the  azogue.  And  already  I  am  subject  to  suspicion. 
Mother  of  God  !  My  blood  runs  cold  at  the  thought  that 
thou  mightest  have  been  an  alguazil  !  " 

"But  what  has  this  to  do  with  the  price  of  pearls?"  I 
asked. 

' '  The  price  of  pearls  ?  Very  much — very  much,  indeed. 
Dost  thou  not  see  ?  Pearls  are  the  most  easy  of  all 
precious  things  to  hide.  They  be  round  and  smoothe 
and  they  corrode  not.  They  are  light,  too,  and  have  no 
flash  or  gleam.  They  can  be  hid  in  a  woman's  hair  or 
in  the  sandal,  or  if  need  be,  buried  in  the  flesh.  The  cut 

25 


386 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 


soon  heals  and  leaves  scarce  a  scar.  Howbeit  the  chirur- 
geons  charge  a  pretty  price  for  such  work,  as  well  they 
may,  for  it  needeth  no  Httle  skill  to  hide  a  jewel-stone  in 
the  flesh  so  that  neither  the  eye  nor  the  hand  of  an  algua- 
zil  can  find  it.  It  be  especially  hard  with  them  that  have 
sharp  edges  ;  it  is  easier  with  a  pearl.  So  pearls  are  in 
great  demand.  But  even  these,  only  one  skilled  in  the 
use  of  the  lancet  may  safely  implant  within  the  body  so 
as  to  defy  detection.  Wherefore  it  has  become  a  trade 
with  certain  of  the  faculty,  like  preparing  poisons  for 
them  that  have  need  of  them. " 

%  "Thou  dost  not 

mean  that  men's 
bodies  are  man 
gled  in  order  to 
take  with  them 
that  which  is  their 
own — the  result  of 
their  own  toil  and 
skill  ?  "  I  asked  in 
horror  of  his  tale. 
"That  be  the 
simple  truth; 
many  a  man's  and 
many  a  woman's  flesh,  too,  hath  been  gashed  to  afford 
hiding  for  the  jewels  they  have  bought  at  enormous  prices 
in  order  that  they  might  not  starve  when  driven  like 
beasts  into  another  land.  But  the  alguazils  are  growing 
very  keen  in  their  search.  Fortunate  is  the  Jew  who 
manages  to  take  with  him  enough  to  save  his  wife  and 
children  from  want  even  for  a  month.  The  report  comes 
back  that  they  are  dying  by  thousands,  of  pestilence 
and  famine,  in  the  lands  to  which  they  have  fled." 

"And  all  this  because  they  will  not  deny  their  father's 
God  !  "  I  exclaimed,  thinking  of  what  the  Padre  had  said 
of  the  wrongs  done  in  the  name  of  the  dear  Lord  Christ. 


OUT  Of  THE  SUNSET  SEA.  387 

"  If  only  the  gold  had  no  mint-mark,  "said  the  merchant 
with  a  sigh,  "there  would  be  less  difficulty  in  supplying 
their  need. " 

"An'  thou  wouldst  buy  gold  that  had  no  mint-mark  ?  " 

"  Buy  it  ?  I  would  give  ten,  twenty  per  centum  for  it. 
That  is,  I  would  give  five  Moorish  maravedis  for  the 
weight  of  four  in  unstamped  gold." 

I  drew  forth  the  bag  I  had  received  from  Pinzon  and 
handed  to  him  one  of  the  transparent  little  packages  it 
contained.  He  emptied  the  contents  on  a  sheet  of  paper, 
carried  it  to  the  window  and  examined  the  particles  closely 
with  the  lens  he  had  used  before.  Then  he  drew  a  vial 
from  his  girdle  and  dropped  some  of  its  contents  upon 
them. 

"It  be  gold!"  he  said  in  a  hoarse  whisper  when  he 
returned.  "Virgin  gold!  There  be  no  doubt  of  that. 
That  which  I  applied  was  the  touchstone.  Had  it  been 
any  other  metal  it  would  have  exhaled  in  smoke.  Yet 
never  saw  I  the  like  before.  I  have  seen  gold  from  the 
Ind,  from  the  Gold  Coast,  from  the  Ural,  and  perchance 
from  other  regions,  yet  never  saw  I  any  so  light  in  color 
or  pepites  so  large.  Hast  thou  more?  " 

I  gave  him  the  bag.  He  went  and  locked  the  door, 
his  hand  trembling  and  his  eyes  burning  with  excitement. 
Then  he  took  out  the  little  packets,  one  by  one,  and  laid 
them  tenderly  upon  the  table. 

"  Whence  came  it  ?  "  he  asked. 

"  Not  so  fast,  good  Messer  Jacobo.  That  be  my  secret. 
What  wilt  thou  give  ?  " 

"  Weight  for  weight  of  minted  metal." 

"But  thou  didst  say  it  was  worth  more  ?  " 

"Ah!  thou  hast  turned  trafficker.  Well,  then,  ten 
Moorish  maravedis  for  the  weight  of  nine. " 

"But  tell  me — I  do  not  understand  why  thou  art  will 
ing  to  sell  stamped  gold  for  unstamped,  and  pay  a  profit." 

"I  see  thou  wilt  never  let  go  of  a  penny-weight  until 


388  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

thou  knowest  all.  An'  thou  must  know,  then,  it  be 
this. way:  every  merchant  is  under  espionage  to  see 
that  he  spoil  not  the  coin  of  the  realm.  If  a  thousand 
ducats  be  traced  to  my  hand,  I  must  show  that  I  did 
pay  them  over  to  another  or  I  may  be  held  to 
answer  to  the  law.  But  not  so  with  unstamped  gold, 
which  be  a  matter  of  merchandise.  Now,  should  I  buy 
of  thee,  I  could  truly  say  and  prove  that  I  gave  thee  so 
much  coin  for  merchandise  delivered.  Then  I  would  sell 
this  gold  to  some  Hebrew  who  was  sore  bested,  at  such 
price  as  I  could  get." 

"But  how  would  this  exchange  advantage  him  ?  How 
could  he  carry  this  across  the  border  any  better  than  the 
stamped  pieces  ?  " 

"Ah,  wilt  thou  never  be  content?  Know,  then,"  he 
whispered  with  a  shrug,  "that  I  would  agree  to  deliver 
him  its  value  in  Bristol." 

"  But  how  couldst  thou  get  it  there  ? " 

"Insatiable  !  But  I  have  told  thee  too  much  to  shrink 
from  more.  Knowest  thou  the  nature  of  azogue  ?  " 

I  shook  my  head. 

"Well,  then,  if  I  should  pour  this  gold  into  one  of  those 
sacks  of  azogue,  it  would  soon  be  eaten  up  or  become  a 
mass  which  none  could  separate,  unless  he  knew  the 
secret  which  the  alchemist  of  Bristol  hath  discovered.  It 
will  still  be  azogue  but  dull  and  thick  ;  no  longer  bright 
and  clear.  If  the  alguazils  should  examine  it  they  would 
find  only  '  sick  '  azogue  and  I  would  bewail  my  ill-fortune 
because  it  sickened  on  my  hands.  Very  well  ;  I  ship  it 
to  Master  Flemming ;  he  sells  it  to  the  alchemist  who 
cures  it  of  its  sickness  and  giveth  back  the  gold  it  hath 
swallowed  up,  in  consideration  of  receiving  the  azogue  to 
make  use  of  as  he  will.  And  whatsoever  profit  there  be, 
I  divide  with  Master  Flemming.  Now  thou  knowest 
all." 

"And  knowing  all,  I  am  willing  to  make  a  fair  bargain 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA.  389 

with  thee.     How   much  wilt  thou  give  for  all  the  gold  I 
have  shown  thee  ?  " 

"  It  will  need  some  close  calculation  to  answer  with 
exactness/'  he  answered,  cautiously. 

"I  mean  not  that, "  I  replied,  "but  tell  me  near  enough 
so  that  I  can  know  what  I  must  put  with  it  to  make  up  the 
sum  I  require." 

Thereupon  he  drew  forth  a  pair  of  larger  scales,  and 
having  weighed  the  gold  and  made  some  estimates,  he  said  : 

"It  should  not  vary  far  from  thirty  thousand  marav- 
edis,  or  with  the  tenth  added  say  thirty-five  thousand 
maravedis. " 

I  then  drew  forth  some  of  the  lesser  pearls,  one  at  a 
time,  and  asked  him  to  appraise  them.  There  were  still 
five  remaining,  and  these  of  the  very  largest,  when  he 
had  named  a  sum  near  enough  to  that  required  by  my 
employers  to  justify  me  in  saying  : 

"For  them  and  the  gold  thou  wilt  give  a  hundred 
thousand  maravedis  ? " 

He  hesitated  a  long  time  and  made  many  objections, 
but  in  the  end  did  accede  to  my  terms. 

Thereupon  I  said  to  him  : 

"Thou  shalt  have  them  at  thine  own  pricing  on  one 
condition." 

"What  be  that?" 

"Thou  shalt  deliver  the  money  to  whomsoever  I  shall 
name  at  the  port  of  Palos  at  thine  own  risk." 

To  this  he  made  demur,  whereat  I  said  : 

"Know, then, that  in  this  matter  I  do  but  act  for  Martin 
Alonzo  Pinzon  and  his  partners,  with  whom  thou  hast  had 
deal  and  knowest  them  to  be  honest  men." 

"They  have  aye  redeemed  their  bonds, "  said  Jacobo, 
"but  that  doth  not  lessen  the  risk  of  my  money  in  trans 
port." 

"  Their  ship,"  I  said,  not  heeding  his  objection,  "now 
lieth  at  Palos  laden  with  a  rare  cargo  of  things  never  seen 


390  our  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

in  this  part  of  the  world  before.  Were  it  known  that  she 
were  moored  at  thy  wharfing  to-day,  thou  wouldst  have 
all  Seville  at  thy  door  on  the  morrow,  and  gold  would 
flow  into  thy  coffers  like  rain.  Now,  he  that  bringeth  to 
t'.ie  owners  of  the  Pinta  the  sum  thou  hast  agreed  to  pay 
for  these  things,  and  with  it  my  script  attesting  this  sale, 
will  have  the  handling  of  this  cargo  on  a  liberal  commis 
sion,  or  perchance  may  buy  it  outright.  Besides,  I  know 
where  there  be  more  gold  and  more  pearls  than  thou  hast 
yet  seen,  all  of  which  thou  canst  have  on  like  terms  if 
thou  dost  humor  my  demand.  In  other  words  thou  mak- 
est  three  profits,  one  on  the  gold  thou  hast  seen,  one  on 
the  cargo,  and  the  other  on  what  I  alone  can  bring  thee. 
If  thou  wilt  not,  I  go  unto  another  with  them  all. " 

"  And  what  is  thy  demand  ?  " 

"An  instrument  of  writing  duly  signed  and  sealed " 

"With  witnesses  ?  " 

"Truly  ;  setting  forth  our  contract '' 

"What  else?" 

"The  delivery  of  the  money  to  the  owners  of  the  Pinta 
before  noontide  of  Monday. " 

"  How  shall  I  safely  get  to  Palos  by  that  time  ?  " 

' '  That  be  thy  affair. " 

He  stood  looking  out  of  the  window  a  moment  and 
then  sat  down  and  wrote. 

"  Will  that  suffice?  "  he  asked,  handing  me  the  script. 

I  read  it  carefully,  as  my  training  with  Gonsalvo  de 
Cordova  had  taught  me  to  do  all  papers  with  which  I  was 
concerned. 

"  I  see  not  that  anything  more  is  needed." 

He  called  his  clerk  and  when  Benoni  entered  Bermejo 
of  Molinos  was  with  him.  While  the  clerk  was  witness 
ing  the  signature  of  his  employer,  Bill  informed  me  that 
a  troop  of  soldiers  were  ordered  to  proceed  to  Palos  on 
the  morrow  to  escort  the  Admiral  to  Seville  and  thence 
post-haste  to  the  court  at  Barcelona. 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 


391 


"Then  thou  art  saved  the  journey,"  I  replied.  "Wait 
thou  without  and  I  will  join  thee  presently." 

When  they  had  withdrawn  I  told  Jacobo  of  the  good 
fortune  that  had  given  him  an  escort  for  his  journey. 

"St.  Jacobo  be  praised!"  he  exclaimed.  "I  knew 
when  thou  didst  come  so  early  the  morn,  that  if  we  did 
but  make  a  bargain  it  would  turn  out  a  fortunate  one. 
This  be  the  Sabbath  of  the  people  whose  law  was  once  my 
faith,  you  know,"  he  continued  gravely,  "on  which  traffic 
is  forbidden.  To  show  the  truth  of  my  conversion, 
I  have  been  careful  to  avoid  no  business  coming  on 
that  day,  and  God  be  praised,  my  affairs  have  been 
prospered  exceedingly  by  the  contracts  entered  into 
thereon." 

He  turned  away  and  knelt  again  before  the  crucifix 
upon  the  wall  beside  the  table  where  he  wrote.  He  was 
a  strange  compound  of  greed  and  piety  but  I  could  not 
help  honoring  his  profession  more  than  that  of  some 
whose  Christianity  was  of  older  date. 

When  he  had  concluded,  I  said  : 

' '  There  is  still  somewhat  to  be  done.  I  am  in  debt,  as 
thou  knowest,  to  Master  Flemming.  I  care  not  to  learn 
precisely  how  much,  but  I  wish  to  transfer  to  him,  through 
you,  a  certain  amount  of  gold  from  which  he  will  satisfy 
his  demand  and  hold  the  balance  subject  to  my  order,  re 
serving  only  such  sum  as  I  may  require  before  the  sailing 
of  his  ship  on  which  I  wish  to  engage  passage  for  myself 
and  comrade." 

"God  send  thee  a  safe  deliverance  and  a  prosperous 
voyage,"  he  responded  with  a  strange  fervor. 

Then,  pulling  up  my  doublet,  I  untied  the  girdle  of 
hamac-grass,  and  laid  before  his  astonished  eyes  the  blad 
ders  full  of  golden  pepites  which  the  Indian  maid  had 
gathered  in  the  enchanted  pool.  He  was  sobered  by  the 
value  of  these,  and  as  he  weighed  one  after  another  and 
entered  the  amount  on  a  paper  by  his  side,  he  became 


392  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

even  more  subdued.  When  he  had  totted  them  up  he 
said,  earnestly  : 

"  My  son,  not  many  men  have  realized  such  fortune  in 
their  first  venture." 

"And  not  many  men  have  risked  so  much,"  I  answered 
lightly. 

"That  be  true,  too,"  he  said.  "Goest  thou  to  the  new 
lands  again  ? " 

"  That  be  as  God  wills,"  I  replied. 

"Aye,  with  Him  is  life  and  the  issues  of  life,"  said  the 
merchant,  bowing  his  head  and  crossing  himself.  "If 
thou  dost  again  adventure  thither  I  have  one  request  to 
make  of  thee. " 

"  What  may  it  be  ?  If  it  be  aught  in  reason  it  is  granted 
already,  good  Jacobo, "  I  answered  heartily. 

"It  is  that  I  may  have  at  least  a  share  in  thy  outfit 
ting." 

"Assuredly  thou  shalt,"  I  said,  extending  my  hand,  in 
surprise. 

"I  fear  I  be  an  ill  sailor,"  he  modestly  replied,  "but 
sure  I  am  that  thou  art  born  to  fortune  and — well,  a  new 
Christian  hath  slender  hold  on  safety  or  prosperity  in  this 
realm,  and  I  would  rather  trust  my  money  in  a  craft 
under  thy  command  than  in  the  ventures  by  which  I  gain 
profit  here. " 

"I  pledge  thee,  good  Jacobo,  that  if  ever  I  engage  in 
such  venture  thou  shalt  have  timely  notice  and  opportu 
nity  to  embark  therein. " 

He  gave  me  an  acknowledgment  of  my  deposit  with 
him  on  his  principal's  account,  and  a  small  sum  for  pres 
ent  use,  and  then  asked,  smiling  at  the  lankness  of  the 
girdle  in  which  I  placed  them  : 

"Is  there  naught  more  ?  " 

"Aye,  good  Jacobo,"  I  answered,  as  I  knotted  my 
girdle  and  sat  down  upon  one  of  the  stools,  "there  is 
more.  Now,  that  I  have  done  all  with  which  I  was 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 


393 


charged,  and  finished  mine  own  business  also,  tell  me 
what  I  have  waited  most  impatiently  to  ask,  what  news 
hast  thou  for  me  of  Xarifa  ?  " 

"Xarifa  !  "  he  exclaimed,  his  face  blanching  and  an  in 
describable  horror  in  his  tone.  "Dost  thou  not  know! 
Hast  thou  not  heard  !  Mother  of  God — how  can  I  tell 
thee  !  " 

' '  What  is  it  ?  Speak  !  I  know  nothing  !  "  I  cried, 
leaning  across  the  table  and  clutching  him  by  the  shoul 
der. 

God  !  how  hard  my  breath  came  !  It  seemed  as  if  a 
dead  hand  clutched  my  throat !  I  saw  the  fatal  truth  in 
his  eyes,  and  shouted  the  while  I  shook  him  as  if  he 
had  been  a  child  : 

"Do  not  tell  me  she  is  dead!  She  is  alive — well — 
waiting  for  me,  I  tell  you  !  Where  is  she?  Where  shall 
I  find  her?  " 

He  shook  his  head  slowly.  His  sallow  cheek  grew 
fairly  green  with  fear. 

"I  did  not  know  it,"  he  said.  "No  one  told  me — I — I 
would  have  rescued  her — The  Holy  Office 

' '  The  Holy  Office  !     What  had  they  to  do  with  Xarifa  ?  " 

"They — she  was  reported — a  Jewess — obdurate — con 
tumacious  and — and " 

"Quick  !  tell  me— the  end  !  " 

"Contumacious — sanbenito — the  Quemadero  !  " 

yellow  figure  with  appealing  eyes  that  shone  darkly 
out  of  a  mass  of  flames,  swept  before  my  sight  and  then 
all  was  darkness — night — despair  ! 


IT  was  a  long  night  of  horror  which  followed,  full  of 
vague  images,  of  fearful  sights  and  sounds.  Conscious 
ness  returned  but  slowly,  for  the  fever  which  the  tropic 
so  often  begets  in  the  blood,  seized  upon  me  and  made 
mock  of  my  strength.  I  have  heard  that  the  virulence  of 
disease  is  in  proportion  to  the  strength  of  the  victim, 
which  I  can  well  believe  when  I  consider  the  fierceness  of 
this  attack.  Certain  it  is  that  no  one  of  less  strength  could 
have  resisted  such  an  access  of  malignity.  For  fourteen 
days  the  fever  raged  within  me  and  I  knew  not  face  or 
voice,  nor  tasted  food,  nor  had  reasonable  speech  with 
any.  And  all  the  time  my  brain  was  full  of  horrors.  I 
saw  Xarifa  swathed  in  the  yellow  folds  of  the  sanbenito, 
the  red  flames  kissing  her  fair  limbs,  her  face  pale  with 
agony  but  steadfast  and  unyielding,  while  the  black-robed 
agents  of  the  Holy  Office — God  forgive  me  if  I  thought 
them  fiends  and  cursed  them  incessantly — heaped  the 
crackling  fagots  about  her  and  mocked  her  torment  with 
jeers  !  And  all  the  time  I  blamed  myself  for  her  woe, 
doubting  not  that  she  had  suffered  because  she  would  not 
betray  me  or  reveal  whither  I  had  fled.  And  yet  I  lived  ! 

Anon,  I  was  in  Espanola,   beneath  the  tottering  rock  of 

the  sacred  pool  and  Xarifa  had  become  the  brown-skinned 

Abaya,   who  reproached  me  for  my    abandonment,  and 

bewailed  the   resentment   of  the  goblins  whom  she  had 

394 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA.  395 

angered  for  her  love  of  me.  Then  I  was  on  the  slippery 
deck,  amid  the  storms  and  despair  of  the  homeward  voy 
age,  when  hope  of  dry  land  or  favoring  winds  was  clean 
gone.  And  then  again  I  was  fleeing  from  secret  and  un 
appeasable  foes,  the  stern-browed  Torquemada  and  the 
smiling  Gonsalvo  de  Cordova  seeming  equally  malign. 
All  the  direful  things  of  life  were  lived  over  again  in  those 
days  of  darkness,  with  many  another  agony  which  only  a 
fevered  brain  could  make  real.  But  in  it  all,  as  afterward 
appeared,  there  was  no  hint  of  happy  things  or  of  my 
early  days  and  the  sweet  English  home  in  the  bight  of 
the  Coteswolds.  Indeed,  I  was  told  that  in  all  my  wan 
derings,  I  uttered  not  a  single  English  word  or  French, 
but  used  only  that  grim  and  stately  tongue  in  which  all 
woful  happenings  had  come  to  me. 

On  the  fifteenth  day,  as  I  was  after  told,  the  fever  left 
me,  but  so  weak  that  the  leeches  gave  small  hope  that  I 
would  ever  rise.  A  priest  was  called  to  perform  the  last 
offices  of  the  Church.  I  looked  up  into  his  face  and  knew 
the  Fray  Antonio  Montesino,  yet  he  recognized  not  the 
tenement  of  the  soul  that  he  did  housel,  so  greatly  wasted 
was  it  by  the  stress  of  my  malady.  I  was  too  weak  to 
know  that  the  face  I  saw  was  real,  but  thought  I  dreamed, 
and  so  closed  my  eyes  and  fancied  I  was  still  a  boy  in 
the  old  home  at  Edgemont.  It  was  many  days  ere  I  knew 
or  cared  whether  I  were  dead  or  alive.  During  this  time 
memory  ceased  to  trouble,  or  I  make  sure  that  I  had  died. 
In  the  shadowy  light  of  the  darkened  room  forms  came 
and  went.  I  knew  them  not  nor  cared  who  they  might  be. 
Soft  hands  pressed  my  brow  ;  strong  arms  lifted  me  up  and 
arranged  my  couch  ;  gentle  tones  implored  me  to  taste 
delicate  and  appetizing  possets.  I  seemed  in  the  shadow 
of  a  great  woe,  but  could  not  remember  what  it  was. 
Gradually,  I  gained  a  little  strength,  but  I  could  not  yet 
recall  the  past.  Who  was  I?  Such  a  jumble  of  names  ! 
It  seemed  as  if  every  one  I  had  known  in  all  my  life  came 


396  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

trooping  into  mind,  like  garments  at  a  clothier's  waiting 
to  be  tried  and  fitted  to  a  living  form.  Day  after  day  I 
essayed  to  find  myself— to  fit  myself  with  a  name.  Was  I 
Charles  the  Bold,  the  Earl  of  Richmond,  Gonsalvo  de  Cor 
dova,  the  Admiral  of  the  Ocean  Seas,  Bartolomeo  Colon — I 
know  not  how  many  names  I  tried  to  fit  to  my  personality 
before  any  of  those  I  had  worn  came  to  mind,  and  then  it 
was  the  very  last,  the  one  I  had  hardly  spoken  or  heard  a 
score  of  times, — Juan  de  Sevilla  !  Even  then,  I  was  like 
a  lost  spirit  in  inferno,  seeking  a  past.  I  had  no  doubt 
that  was  my  name,  but  where  was  the  life  to  which  it 
belonged  ?  Where  was  Juan  dc  Sevilla  born  ?  Where 
had  he  lived  ?  Who  were  his  parents,  his  familiars  ? 
What  had  he  done  ?  Where  had  he  been  ?  It  troubled 
me  greatly  that  I  could  not  answer  these  questions.  Little 
by  little,  I  recalled  certain  things  in  my  own  life,  espe 
cially  my  boyhood  and  the  fierce  campaigns  when  I  had 
fought  against  the  Moors  ;  but  it  was  all  the  time  as  parts 
of  another's  life,  not  mine.  I  did  not  even  recall  the 
name  of  the  Adjutant  of  Infantry,  though  my  mind  was  full 
of  his  duties  and  experiences.  I  was  making  out  reports, 
issuing  orders,  drilling  the  legion,  and  sometimes  fighting 
with  it. 

During  these  days  I  was  attended  by  two  women  and 
a  man.  It  seemed  as  if  I  ought  to  know  them,  but  do 
the  best  I  might  I  could  find  no  trace  of  them  in  my 
memory.  The  women  spake  the  Castilian  tongue  in  soft, 
low  tones.  It  did  not  seem  at  all  strange  that  they 
should.  The  man  spoke  in  Spanish  also,  but  in  a  curious, 
stammering  way.  Sometimes  he  used  another  language. 
I  seemed  to  know  what  his  words  meant,  but  I  could  not 
imagine  what  tongue  it  was.  They  were  always  talking 
of  some  one  with  regard  to  whom  they  were  anxious.  I 
came  to  share  their  anxiety,  to  a  certain  extent,  not  once 
imagining  that  it  referred  to  me.  All  this  time,  I  did  not 
speak,  not  that  I  was  unable  but  it  did  not  occur  to 


OUT  Of  TH£  SUNS&T  SEA.  397 

me  to  do  so.  I  did  not  seem  to  be  of  their  world, 
but  looked  at  them  and  listened  as  if  I  were  of  another, 
remote  from  or  apart  from  them.  When  they  offered  me 
food  or  drink  I  took  it.  When  they  .asked  me  how  I  felt 
I  wondered  of  whom  they  spoke  and  never  thought  of  an 
swering-.  Thus  I  lay  a  long  time  trying  to  get  hold  again 
of  the  life  that  had  so  nearly  slipped  away. 

One  day  the  man,  he  was  a  sturdy,  red-haired  fellow, 
who  moved  about  the  room  awkwardly  enough  on  tiptoe, 
drew  up  the  jalousies,  so  that  the  light  shone  full  upon  the 
couch  where  I  lay,  gazed  at  me  a  long  time,  the  tears 
gathering  in  his  eyes,  then  hid  them  with  his  hand  and 
sobbed  bitterly.  After  a  while  he  reached  out  and  taking 
my  hand  that  lay  upon  the  coverlet,  pressed  it  to  his  lips 
and  moaned : 

"Ah,  me  bye  !  me  bye  !  We  two  will  nivver  make  the 
v'y'ge  from  Bristol  I'm  afeard.  Sure  they  say  your  mpind's 
all  gone — clane  gone  !  Ye'll  nivver  know  yer  friends  from 
yer  inimies  agin,  which  afther  all  maybe  is  a  blessin', 
considerin' how  many  more  inimies  ye've  got  than  friends. 
Och  hone  !  if  it  had  been  mesilf  now  !  Oirish  Bill  wud  av 
been  proud  to  change  places  wid  ye,  lad,  an'  him  there'd 
have  been  none  to  miss.  Ah,  lad,  ef  ye'd  jist  curse  me 
wance,  instead  av  lookin'  at  me  wid  yer  great  big  eyes  ez 
ef  ye  was  wonderin'  all  the  toime  who  the  devil  I  moight  be, 
sure  it's  happy  ye'd  make  the  heart  of  yer  old  comrade,  who 
if  he  is  nothin'  but  a  poor  Oirish  lad,  wud  give  half  his  life 
to  have  ye  knuckle  up  this  big  white  fist  and  hit  him  square 
atvvane  the  eyes.  Aye,  that  he  wud,  even  if  ye  knocked 
him  clane  throo  the  dirty  mud-brick  wall  of  this  dommed 
old  Moor  houseling,  which  is  not  a  whit  betther  than  a 
turf  shieling,  fer  all  the  big  name  they  give  it.  But  it's 
been  a  braw  shelter  to  you,  me  lad,  an'  I'll  not  say  a  word 
agin  it  nor  them  as  dwell  in  it,  God  bless  'em  !  Whether 
they  be  saints  or  angels  I  hardly  know,  but  Bill  Ayers  '11 
maintain  agen  the  warld  they're  fittin'  to  be  ayther.  That 


OUT  OF  THE  SUXSEt  SEA. 


he  will,  by  all  the  saints  !  An'  ef  anybody  has  a  moind 
to  spake  ill  av  'em,  just  let  him  open  his  dhirty  mouth  in 
front  of  Bill  Ayers — Bill  Ayers,  av  Galway  an'  Bristo\ve 
an'  Espanola  an'  the  divil  knows  whare  else — ef  he  wants 
— Hist  now  !  What  the  divil  d'ye  mane  ?  " 

I  had  drawn  rny  hand  from  his,  raised  myself  on  my 
elbow  and  was  scanning  his  face  with  a  look  which  may 
well  have  seemed  grewsomc  enough  to  the  honest  fellow. 
I  was  trying  to  get  hold  of  him — to  know  him — to  name 
him  to  myself — the  self  I  could  not  find.  At  length  I 
seemed  to  get  it — not  so  much  the  name,  for  that  I  had 

heard  quite  plain 
ly,  but  the  person 
it  represented,  and 
said,  weakly  and 
hesitatingly  : 

"Bill  — Bill 
Ayers  ? " 

"  Hooray  !  "  he 
shouted,  springing 
from  his  chair. 

"  Be  jabers,  he's 
c  o  m  e  to  hisself ! 
Blessed  be  God ! 

Howly  Mother  be  praised  !  Teresa  !  Maria  !  Leddies  ! 
Sefioritas  !  Come  !" 

He  rushed  out  of  the  door  and  I  sank  back  upon  the 
couch  while  the  dark  wave  of  insensibility  rolled  over  me 
again. 

Thus  slowly,  I  came  back  into  the  world  to  find  myself 
in  the  rooms  we  had  engaged  near  a  month  before,  watched 
over  and  attended  by  the  Madonna-like  Teresa  of  Logrosa, 
her  fair  young  sister  and  my  Irish  shipmate.  Fray  Anto 
nio  Montesino  came,  now  and  then,  to  inquire  after 
me,  and  Messer  Jacobo  Santo  never  allowed  a  day  to 
pass  without  visiting  my  bedside.  Yet  neither  he  nor 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA.  399 

Bill   had  revealed   my    identity,  nor  did   the  Fray  once 
suspect  it. 

When  a  knowledge  of  the  woe  that  had  overpowered 
my  consciousness  returned,  I  was  like  to  have  lapsed 
again  into  the  sea  of  darkness,  but  though  the  agony  was 
thenceforward  to  be  ever-present  with  me,  the  thought 
seemed  to  have  lost  something  of  its  intensity.  I  wished 
indeed,  that  I  might  die  ;  but  as  that  was  not  a  thing  to 
be  willed,  I  came  gradually  to  think  of  the  fate  which  had 
befallen  Xarifa  as  an  incentive  to  farther  existence.  I 
would  live  to  honor  her  name  and  revenge  her  sufferings, 
if  such  a  thing  were  possible,  upon  those  who  had  caused 
them.  But  who  were  they  ?  The  Church  ?  Could  I  rebel 
against  her  decrees  ?  But  was  the  Holy  Office  an  essential 
part  of  the  Church  or  only  an  incident  of  local  rule  ?  I 
trembled  as  I  thought  how  it  prevailed  in  other  countries, 
even  in  Italy  under  the  Holy  Father's  eye.  But  then,  Italy 
has  ever  been  accounted  the  very  wickedest  part  of  the 
earth.  Perhaps,  it  might  be  necessary  there.  But  it  could 
not  be  just  or  necessary  anywhere  to  pursue  one  of  such 
sweet  faith  and  pure  life  as  my  Xarifa  to  the  death.  Thank 
Heaven  !  the  hated  system  did  not  obtain  in  England  ! 
Why  had  I  not  taken  her  there  before  she  was  drawn  into 
the  maelstrom  of  my  danger  ?  No  doubt  it  was  Torque- 
mada's  vengeance  for  the  affront  I  had  visited  upon  him  in 
my  folly.  I  wondered  if  I  could  not  avenge  her,  and  at 
the  same  time  rid  the  world  of  a  heartless  bigot  ?  Yet 
I  shrank  from  the  thought  of  assassination.  Somehow,  it 
doth  not  comport  with  English  manhood  to  murder  in  cold 
blood.  Besides,  he  was  a  priest,  and  I  could  not  but  shud 
der  at  the  thought  of  making  an  attack  on  one  forbidden 
by  his  calling  to  defend  himself.  And  what  was  he  after 
all  ?  Only  the  tool  by  which  their  Majesties  gathered  reve 
nue  to  promote  their  designs  !  Had  not  the  King  himself 
taken  part  in  the  hunt  for  me  ?  Could  I  be  revenged  on 
him,  it  would  indeed  be  a  blow  worth  striking.  But  how  ? 


400  OUT  Ofr  THE  SUNSET 

I  did  not  know,  but  as  I  thought  it  over,  day  after  day,  the 
notion  came  to  possess  my  weak  brain  almost  to  the  exclu 
sion  of  everything  else, 

It  was  at  this  time  that  I  was  told  of  the  triumphal  prog 
ress  the  Admiral  had  made  through  the  city  on  his  way 
to  the  Court  of  Barcelona.  Indians  and  gold  and  paro 
quets  and  hamacs — and  the  Admiral  in  his  red  cloak,  with 
his  yellow  banner  carried  before  him,  mounted  on  a  horse 
which  he  rode  but  ill,  yet  bowing  right  and  left  like  a  sov 
ereign  or  a  conqueror.  Few  of  his  sailors  went  with  him. 
But  there  was  an  escort  of  soldiers,  and  though  the  display 
was  not  remarkably  rich,  there  was  an  air  of  marvel  about 
it  which  set  every  one  to  wondering  and  left  the  city  in  a 
ferment  after  he  had  gone. 

At  this  time  the  shrewd  Jacobo  had  brought  the 
Pinta  to  the  city  and  the  cargo  which  Pinzon  and  his 
thrifty  partners  had  collected  sold  at  wondrous  prices.  It 
was  too  late  to  be  of  any  benefit  for  the  sturdy  navigator, 
who,  stung  by  the  coldness  of  his  friends  and  neighbors, 
humiliated  by  the  outcome  of  his  imprudent  dispatch  to 
their  Majesties,  and  weakened  by  the  unprecedented  labors 
of  the  voyage,  was  ill-prepared  to  resist  the  assault  of  that 
insidious  disease  which  had  kept  me  so  long  quaking  and 
burning  by  turns.  We  have  learned  since  that  the  lux 
uriance  of  the  new  lands  is  subtly  charged  with  this 
strange  fatality.  The  tropic  fever  may  either  kill  at  once 
or  keep  the  victim  shivering  and  scorching  at  the  very 
gates  of  death,  until  the  vital  forces  are  out-worn  and 
the  sufferer  is  grateful  when  the  end  finally  comes. 
Martin  Alonzo  Pinzon  was  spared  this  prolonged  misery. 
When  he  had  taken  in  his  hand  the  money  which  Jacobo 
brought,  had  learned  the  value  of  the  pearls,  and  affirmed 
the  bargain  which  Gomez  Rascon  made  for  the  sale  of  the 
cargo,  whereby  he  knew  not  only  that  his  honor  was  safe, 
but  that  his  family  would  henceforward  be  above  the 
apprehension  of  want,  I  was  told  that  he  put  his  head 


OUT  OF  TtiE  SUNSE?  SEA.  401 

down  upon  his  folded  arms  on  the  table  before  him  and 
his  form  was  shaken  with  sobs.  After  a  time,  when  those 
present  raised  it  up,  not  knowing  what  to  make  of  such  a 
seizure,  his  face  was  of  an  ashy  whiteness,  his  lips  blue 
and  drawn,  and  his  eyes  turned  upward,  while  his  teeth 
chattered  and  his  whole  body  shook  as  if  the  chill  of  the 
midwinter  storms  had  not  loosed  its  hold  upon  him. 
Thus  he  died  before  the  sun  went  down  ;  and  with  him 
perished  our  pretty  scheme  of  a  voyage  to  the  new  lands 
under  his  guidance.  But  what  need  of  his  guidance  ? 
All  at  once,  the  thought  came  to  me  that  his  death  opened 
the  way  for  me  to  revenge  myself  on  their  Majesties  of 
Castile  and  Aragon,  who  were  the  real  authors  of  all  the 
wrongs  done  to  me  and  mine,  more  effectually  than  in  any 
other  way,  by  thus  interfering  with  their  enjoyment  of  the 
wealth  of  the  new  lands  and  diverting  its  trade,  perhaps, 
to  other  countries. 

It  was  a  silly  notion  for  a  friendless  lad  to  indulge  ;  yet 
it  pleased  me  all  the  more,  perhaps,  because  of  its  very 
unlikelihood.  While,  the  sense  of  wrong  done  and  a  de 
sire  to  punish  my  persecutors  no  doubt  inspired  the 
thought,  I  now  think  it  must  have  been  an  undercurrent 
of  ambition,  or,  at  least,  an  inherent  love  of  adventure 
which  induced  me  to  brood  over  it  day  and  night,  until, 
by  the  time  I  was  able  to  leave  my  bed,  I  had  fixed  upon 
my  course  of  action  and  had  communicated  its  chief  feat 
ures  tojacobo.  Fortunately,  Martin  Alonzo  had  informed 
me  of  the  name  by  which  the  natives  designated  the  region 
where  the  pearls  grow,  the  island  of  Cubagua,  which  they 
said  lay  to  the  south-southwest  of  Espanola.  This,  he 
assured  me,  he  had  imparted  to  none  other. 

"The  first  thing  be  thine  own  health,"  said  the  cautious 
Jacobo,  when  he  had  listened  to  my  scheme,  which  must 
have  seemed  to  him  the  wildest  of  vagaries.  "  The 
leeches  do  assure  me  that,  even  if  all  goes  well,  it  will  re 
quire  a  year  or  two  in  a  cooler  clime  than  Spain,  to  expel 

26 


402  OUT  OF  THE  SUA'SET  SEA. 

the  noxious  vapor  from  which  this  distemper  arose,  from 
all  the  nooks  and  crevices  of  thy  body.  When  this  be 
once  effected,  if  please  God  it  shall  be,  they  say  thou  wilt 
be  stronger  and  more  enduring  than  ever,  and  assured  of 
a  good  old  age,  unless  indeed  violence  or  mishap  shall 
shorten  thy  life.  And  they  foretell  that  if  thy  hair  and 
brows  do  wholly  drop  away  while  yet  thy  beard  remains, 
it  is  a  certain  sign  that  thy  bodily  forces  have  conquered 
the  disease  and  that  only  time  and  care  are  needful  for 
complete  restoration.  Which  may  God  and  the  saints 
grant !  After  that,  there  will  be  time  enough  to  think  of 
such  things  as  thou  hast  conceived." 

He  spake  so  solemnly  that  I  knew  he  had  little  hope. 
What  he  said  as  to  my  hair  and  beard  came  true,  that  is, 
the  hair  came  off  but  the  beard  did  not.  Whether  this 
was  a  veritable  sign  of  recovery  or  the  leeches  said  so 
knowing  it  would  be  an  encouragement,  I  know  not,  but 
certain  it  is,  the  fact  that  it  so  happened  afforded  me  great 
cheer. 

One  day  when  I  had  gained  somewhat  of  strength,  look 
ing  at  my  bare  poll  and  eyebrows  so  greatly  lessened  that 
they  hardly  showed,  while  my  beard  was  longer  than  ever 
and  seemed  if  possible  darker  also,  good  Jacobo,  sitting 
before  me  in  great  good-humor,  for  I  was  then  able  to  sit 
up  a  portion  of  the  day,  said  : 

"It  doth  seem  to  me  that  we  ought  soon  to  be  plan 
ning  a  way  for  thee  to  get  out  of  this  realm  of  Spain  ; 
for  surely  thou  wilt  never  be  better  able  to  circumvent 
thine  enemies  than  now,  when  thy  best  friend  of  a  month 
agone  would  not  know  thee  an'  he  met  thee  in  the  way 
at  noontide.  Both  for  thy  health  and  safety  thou  shouldst 
get  back  to  England  without  delay." 

"That  be  my  design,  good  Jacobo,"  I  answered,  "as 
soon  as  I  have  attended  to  some  little  matters  here.  But 
how  shall  I  go  ?  " 

"  I  have  detained  the  ship  of  Master  Flemming,  both  be- 


OUT  OF  THE  SUBSET  SEA.  403 

cause  her  cargo  was  not  complete  and  because  I  knew  he 
would  approve  did  he  know  she  waited  for  thee,  for  whom 
he  hath  often  manifested  great  concern.  Now,  if  thou 
canst  arrange  to  get  aboard  of  her,  I  see  no  reason  why  all 
our  designs  should  not  prosper.  But  that  I  fear  may  be 
exceeding  difficult,  for  though  their  Majesties  are  so  anx 
ious  to  get  rid  of  their  most  faithful  subjects,  they  are 
even  more  fearful  that  those  who  go  may  carry  with  them 
somewhat  of  the  wealth  of  the  realm  ;  so  every  ship 
that  leaves  a  Spanish  port  must  needs  be  searched  from 
poop  to  keel  by  the  alguazils,  to  see  that  she  carries  none 
who  came  not  in  her,  unless  they  have  written  leave 
from  the  authorities.  And  this,  I  must  warn  thee,  is 
very  hard  to  get,  especially,  I  fear,  for  such  as  may  have 
knowledge  it  might  be  thought  not  well  to  allow  to  go 
beyond  the  border." 

"As  what  ?  "  I  asked,  not  fully  comprehending  him. 

"Well,  a  knowledge  of  the  way  to  the  new  lands, 
mayhap. " 

"  I  see  ;  and  there  be  two  of  us,"  I  said,  more  to  myself 
than  to  him. 

•'Thou  dost  insist  on  taking  the  Galway  lad  with 
thee  ?  " 

"  Rather  would  I  have  him  go  and  I  remain,  than  leave 
him  here.  He  hath  my  pledge  that  I  will  see  him  safe 
out  of  the  country.  When  I  go  he  goes,  or  if  only  one 
can  go  it  shall  be  he,  and  I  will  wait  another  chance." 

"  That  is  what  I  feared  ;  one  of  the  sailors  has  died  since 
the  sloop  came  to  the  wharf,  and — it  might  be  possible — 
I  do  not  know " 

"  I  see;  you  think  one  of  us  might  ship  in  his  place. 
A  good  notion,  too.  Let  Bill  take  his  place,  without  delay. 
I  shall  make  shift  in  some  way  for  myself,  but  might  not 
be  able  to  find  a  way  for  him." 

"But  you?" 

"Never  mind  about  me.     When  does  she  sail ? " 


404  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

"  She  be  ready  to  slip  her  cable  at  an  hour's  notice." 

"That  pleases  me  ;  I  may  not  be  able  to  give  much 
more  than  that,  but  within  a  week  you  may  look  for  me 
aboard. " 

"But  the  alguazils  ?  " 

"  If  I  come  the  alguazils  will  make  no  question  about 
me." 

"Thou  knowest  it  might  be  a  serious  matter  both  for 
me  and  the  owner  of  the  sloop  to  be  detected  in  any 
attempt  to  evade  the  law  ?  " 

"I  understand,  goodjacobo.  Thou  saidst  well — to  be 
detected  !  Thou  shalt  not  be  detected  ;  never  fear." 

After  this  conversation  I  began  to  consider  what  things 
most  needed  to  be  done  before  my  departure,  and  how 
they  had  best  be  undertaken.  There  were  three  things  I 
greatly  desired  to  do  :  first,  to  send  a  token  of  remem 
brance  and  gratitude  to  the  Dona  Guadita,  whom  I  could 
not  bear  to  see  ;  second,  to  get  Xarifa's  casket  from  the 
Sacristan  of  San  Marco,  and  thirdly,  to  deliver  the  Padre's 
letter  to  the  Queen's  Confessor  and  see  if  by  some  means  I 
could  not,  through  him,  compass  leave  to  depart  the  realm. 
These  I  determined  to  undertake  in  the  order  named, 
both  because  that  seemed  easiest  and  most  natural,  and 
because  I  had  already  determined  on  the  manner  of  the 
first. 

I  could  not  literally  comply  with  the  Dona  Guadita's 
command  to  bring  her  even  one  small  handful  of  pearls  ; 
but  I  was  well  assured  that  I  could  give  her  one  pearl 
which  was  both  larger  and  more  valuable  than  any  other 
in  the  realm  of  Castile.  I  had  thought  much  about 
the  form  in  which  I  would  convey  it,  which,  it  seemed 
to  me,  ought  to  express  at  the  same  time  the  darkness  of  my 
woe,  the  brightness  of  my  gratitude  and  the  richness 
of  her  grace.  For  this  purpose,  I  had  Jacobo  secure 
a  skilled  worker  to  make  me  a  cross  of  about  a  finger's 
length  of  one  of  those  black  gagates  of  Oviedo,  hollowing 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA.  405 

out  a  place  in  which  the  pearl  might  rest  where  the  two 
arms  of  the  cross  spring  outward,  and  on  this  to  impose  a 
narrower  cross  of  gold — the  bright  yellow  gold  of  Espanola 
— with  little  claws  reaching  up  and  clutching  the  great 
white  pearl  so  as  to  hold  it  securely  in  place  ;  this  gold 
cross  to  be  firmly  fastened  to  the  wider  gagate  one  be 
neath,  the  whole  to  be  worn  suspended  by  a  slender 
golden  chain  about  the  neck.  Thus  the  white  pearl,  the 
black  cross  and  the  gold  of  Espanola  would  make  a  fitting 
acknowledgment,  I  thought,  to  one  whose  kindness  had 
saved  a  life  which  must  hereafter  be  clouded  with  grief. 

I  sent  with  it  a  fitting  message,  hoping,  though  I  could 
not  fill  her  hands  with  pearls,  that  when  this  memento 
rested  on  her  bosom  her  soul  might  be  filled  with  divine 
pity  for  one  whose  heart  could  never  again  know  the  joy 
of  earthly  love.  This  trinket  I  had  placed  in  a  fitting 
case,  and  Messer  Jacobo  promised  that  he  would  deliver 
it  with  his  own  hands  after  my  departure  and  send  her 
acknowledgment  to  me  through  Master  Flemming.  I  did 
not  doubt  that  the  Dona  Guadita  had  done  her  best  to 
save  Xarifa,  but  knew  I  could  not  command  myself  to 
listen  to  the  tale  from  her  lips  ;  besides  I  was  not  sure 
that  my  presence  might  not  prove  dangerous  to  her. 

In  the  mean  time,  I  learned  with  ever-increasing  wonder, 
partly  from  the  Fray  Antonio  Montesino  and  partly  from 
Teresa  herself,  the  story  of  the  noble  woman  in  whose 
house  I  was  lodged.  If  ever  there  were  a  saint  fit  to 
stand  beside  the  Mother  of  God  at  the  last  glorification  it 
was  surely  Teresa,  the  mistress  of  the  erring  Padre  of 
Logrosa.  Never  woman  had  such  love  before  !  Know 
ing  as  she  did  the  quality  of  the  man,  she  had  no  doubt 
that  he  would  repent  his  sin  and  win  his  way  back  to 
the  place  he  had  held  or  even  a  much  higher  one  in  the 
service  of  the  Church,  if  only  once  relieved  of  the  weight 
of  obligation  to  her.  She  had,  therefore,  urged  him  to 
sail  with  the  Admiral,  and  determined  during  his  absence 


4o6  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

to  make  it  impossible  that  he  should  ever  again  be 
tempted  to  return  to  her.  Soon  after  he  sailed  their  one 
child  died,  and  then — how  shall  I  tell  it  !  This  simple- 
hearted  child  of  the  people  determined  to  sacrifice  her 
self,  if  need  there  should  be,  to  prevent  the  man  for 
whose  fall  she  felt  herself  to  be  responsible,  from  ever 
seeking-  to  renew  his  association  with  her.  She  was  im 
plored  to  seek  seclusion  in  a  convent,  but  she  was  poor, 
her  purpose  was  distrusted,  and  finally  this  refuge  of  the 
broken-hearted  was  formally  denied  her  by  the  iron- 
hearted  recluse,  who  had  become  not  only  the  guardian 
of  the  Queen's  conscience  but  the  inflexible  purifier  of  all 
the  religious  houses  in  the  see  of  Toledo.  Thereupon,  she 
did  not  hesitate  to  join  herself  to  that  unfortunate  class 
whom  all  the  world  denounces  for  the  vileness  of  the 
traffic  which  they  publicly  pursue. 

"I  knew  he  would  never  seek  me  in  an  abode  of  vice, 
and  if  he  gave  me  up  I  was  sure  his  superiors  would 
restore  him  to  his  function,"  she  said,  simply.  So  she 
was  enrolled  as  one  of  the  outcasts  of  the  gay  city,  yet 
with  a  soul  as  white  as  any  in  Paradise. 

Already  the  hectic  had  marked  her  for  its  victim,  and 
the  soft  glow  upon  her  cheek  enhanced  her  queenly 
beauty,  while  it  emphasized  the  warning  which  her  hol 
low  cough  and  wasted  figure  gave. 

When  she  had  formed  this  terrible  resolution,  she  was 
destined  to  encounter  another  love  as  inflexible  as  her 
own.  Her  younger  sister  had  said  to  her:  "Whither 
thou  goest,  I  will  go  !  "  and  no  power  had  sufficed  to  turn 
her  from  her  purpose.  The  priest  at  Mogucr,  to  whom 
they  had  confessed,  because  he  was  a  friend  of  the  Padre 
who  had  often  shared  his  hospitality  before  their  sin  had 
found  them  out,  seeing  he  could  not  dissuade  them,  had 
commended  them  to  the  Fray  Antonio  Montesino,  in 
Seville,  who  had  with  difficulty  persuaded  her  to  defer 
the  consummation  of  her  terrible  scheme  until  they  should 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 


407 


know  of  a  surety  the  Padre's  fate.  Our  coming  made  the 
final  sacrifice  unnecessary.  I  shudder,  even  now  after 
so  many  years,  at  what  might  have  happened,  had  we 
not  come  in  advance  of  the  public  report  of  the  Admiral's 
return.  The  two  devoted  women  merely  thanked  the 
Holy  Virgin  for  their  deliverance,  seeming  to  count  the 
name  of  evil  which  was  indelibly  fastened  upon  them  by 
public  registration,  as  nothing,  so  long  as  they  escaped 
without  sin.  I  confess,  I  pitied  them  while  I  marveled 
at  their  fortitude,  and  could  not  think  of  taking  my  de 
parture  until  1  had  provided  for  their  future. 

"For  me  there 
need  not  be  a 
thought, "  said 
the  elder  sister, 
as  calmly  as  if  it 
were  but  the 
commonest  mat 
ter  of  daily  hap 
pening.  "  It  is 
but  a  few  days  at 
most  and  I  shall 
be  at  rest. " 

The  direful 
cough  that  inter 
rupted  her  words 
avouched  their  truth. 

"  Only  let  me  know  the  interdict  removed  and  I  shall 
wait  for  nothing  more.  As  for  Maria,  I  know  not  what 
she  will  do  ;  but  the  good  God  will  find  a  way  to  save 
her  from  want  as  He  hath  already  saved  us  from 
sin. " 

"But  the  stain, Teresa ?"  said  the  Fray  Antonio  Mon- 
tesino.  "Thou  knowest  one  who  has  been  registered  as 
a  courtesan  can  never  marry  or  engage  in  service  with 
out  risk  of  disclosure  and  punishment  by  the  law." 


408  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

"Perhaps  she  might  go  away  after — after  I  am  gone — 
or  before,  if  a  chance  should  offer. " 

She  looked  at  me  appealingly.  I  felt  myself  grow  hot 
from  crown  to  toe  with  a  flush  of  shame.  Yet  why  should 
I  flinch  from  doing  good  in  the  face  of  such  an  example ! 

It  was  their  friend  the  good  Fray  who  saw  a  way  out 
of  the  difficulty. 

"Why  not  take  her  as  a  nurse?"  he  asked,  turning 
toward  me  a  look  of  eager  inquiry.  "Thou  wilt  surely 
need  one  for  many  months,  and  there  could  be  no  ob 
jection  to  her  departure  in  thy  service." 

"  What  would  become  of  Bill's  occupation  ?  "  I  asked, 
smiling  up  into  the  face  of  the  good-natured  fellow  who 
entered  at  that  moment. 

"An'  how  should  I  be  losin'  me  job  !  "  he  asked,  com 
ing  to  take  my  hand,  for  since  he  had  shipped  as  one  of 
the  crew  of  the  "Alfreda,"  as  Master  Flemming's  ship 
was  named,  he  came  but  once  a  day  to  see  me. 

The  Fray  then  told  him  what  was  proposed,  and  I  saw 
a  light  come  into  his  face  which  went  far  to  reconcile  me 
to  the  plan,  as  he  answered  quickly  : 

"An' why  not?  Sure,  if  she  was  in  Merrie  England 
now,  we'd  soon  get  the  scared  look  out  av  her  bright 
eyes  ;  an'  if  she  wasn't  happy,  it  ud  not  be  fer  lack  av 
wan  friend  at  least,  that  ud  give  his  life  fer  her  widout 
askin'  to  be  shrived  afore  he  wint. " 


IT  is  scarce  to  be  wondered  at  that  the  story  of  the 
Padre  of  Logrosa  and  his  self-formulated  mission  to  the 
Indians  of  Espanola  should  have  stirred  to  fervent  aspira 
tion  the  heart  of  the  devoted  young  Fray  Antonio  Mon- 
tesino.  The  spirit  of  romantic  devotion  which  hath 
prevailed  among  the  Spanish  priests  in  these  later  years 
is  altogether  wonderful.  It  is  said  to  be  the  fruit  of  two 
men's  teaching  and  example.  I  know  not  how  that  may 
be,  but  it  would  be  strange  if  two  such  men  as  Tomas  de 
Torquemada  and  Francisco  Ximenes  should  not  have  left 
their  impress  on  the  spiritual  nature  of  a  priesthood  wholly 
subject  to  their  power  and  conversant  of  their  true  charac 
ter.  Terrible  as  the  Inquisitor-General  was  in  the  perse 
cution  of  unbelief,  and  unscrupulous  as  he  was  in  the 
means  he  employed  to  condemn  the  heretic  and  effect  the 
robbery  of  those  who  doubted  or  denied,  he  was  an  ascetic 
with  a  heart  of  fire,  who  knew  not  any  form  of  self-indul 
gence  and  profited  not  himself  a  single  penny's  worth  of 
all  the  treasures  he  wrested  from  the  hands  of  unbelievers. 
To  him,  belief  was  the  supremest  merit  and  unbelief  the 
greatest  crime  a  human  soul  could  perpetrate  ;  but  he  did 

409 


410  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

not  countenance,  conceal,  or  practice  crime  for  his  own 
pleasure,  and  he  tortured  his  own  flesh  hardly  less  per 
sistently  than  that  of  his  victims. 

Not  less  potent  than  he  in  shaping  the  religious  natures 
beneath  his  sway,  was  the  Franciscan,  the  Vicar  General 
of  his  order  in  the  Province  of  Toledo,  and  the  Queen's 
Confessor,  Francisco  Ximenes,  who  dwelt  barefooted  in  a 
palace,  and  when  the  symbols  of  authority  were  forced 
upon  him,  wore  beneath  them  always  the  haircloth  shirt 
and  hempen  girdle  of  the  recluse.  Purging  first  his  own 
life,  then  the  conventual  life  of  his  order,  he  came  to  the 
first  place  among  the  subjects  of  Castile,  the  direction  of 
the  Queen's  conscience,  and  rose  eventually  to  be  Primate 
of  Spain,  Lord  High  Chancellor,  Cardinal,  and  Regent  of 
Castile.  Wondrous  exaltation  for  a  poor  priest  to  win  by 
sanctity  of  life  alone ! 

I  do  mistrust  that  it  be  largely  from  the  influence  of 
these  two  men  that  the  Society  of  Jesus  sprung,  which 
was  founded  by  one  Loyola,  and  hath  of  late,  by  its  subtle 
emissaries,  done  much,  as  I  am  told,  to  stir  up  resistance 
to  King  Henry  among  the  discontented  in  Ireland.  Thus, 
while  by  the  valor  and  fortitude  of  her  soldiers  Spain  has 
conquered  the  treasure  of  the  New  World,  by  the  ambition 
and  devotion  of  her  priests  she  has  also  become  the  fore 
most  power  of  Christendom,  so  that  the  grandson  of  the 
great  Queen  ruleth  now  over  the  better  part  of  Europe, 
hath  beaten  back  the  Turk,  conquered  the  King  of  France, 
made  the  Holy  Father  the  Sovereign  Pontiff  his  captive, 
and  by  overthrowing  the  corsair  Barbarossa,  hath  set  free 
more  than  twenty  thousand  Christian  slaves  in  Algeria, 
as  I  of  late  have  heard.  Truly,  the  forces  which  shape 
the  destiny  of  nations  are  wonderful  and  mysterious,  and 
not  least  among  them  must  be  counted  the  priests,  who, 
if  sincere  and  of  earnest  purpose,  make  the  tonsure  hardly 
second  in  potency  to  the  sword. 

But  little  thought  I  what  marvels  would  come  to  pass 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA.  411 

when,  on  that  Spring  morning,  I  sallied  forth  from  our  hum 
ble  lodging,  almost  for  the  first  time,  leaning  on  the  arm 
of  Fray  Antonio  and  a  stout  staff,  to  seek  the  presence  of  the 
Queen's  Confessor.  The  day  before  I  had  gone  with  the 
Fray  to  the  church  of  San  Marco  and  presenting  the  key, 
the  piece  of  parchment  which  had  been  given  me  as  a 
receipt,  and  a  proper  order  for  the  same,  had  demanded 
the  casket  deposited  by  Del  Porro,  declaring  my  ability 
to  vouch  my  right  thereto,  according  to  the  terms  of  the 
script  within  the  same.  To  my  surprise,  that  official 
denied  all  knowledge  of  such  casket,  and  stoutly  averred 
that  he  had  nothing  of  the  kind  in  his  possession.  It  was 
a  sultry  afternoon  and  I  had  little  strength  for  contention, 
else  I  must  have  betrayed  myself  by  my  anger  at  his 
duplicity.  As  it  was,  I  felt  greatly  encouraged,  despite 
my  ill-success,  for  it  was  evident  that  even  a  thief,  whose 
eyes  are  ever  sharpened  by  his  conscience,  had  failed  to 
trace  in  the  pale,  bald-headed,  bearded  man,  just  able  to 
drag  himself  about  on  a  priest's  arm,  clad  in  over-worn 
sailor's  clothes,  any  resemblance  to  the  smart  soldier  who 
had  made  the  deposit.  He  counted  me  a  mere  emissary  of 
the  owner,  as  I  did  represent  myself,  who  might  be  put 
off  with  a  priest's  denial. 

"Thy  friend's  wits  must  have  been  wandering  when  he 
sent  thee  hither  with  that  necromancer's  scroll  upon  such 
an  errand,"  was  his  confident  remark. 

I  could  scarce  restrain  a  smile  even  in  my  weak  and 
saddened  condition,  as  I  replied  : 

"Perhaps  he  was,  poor  fellow  ;  he  had  enough  to  craze 
him." 

"  I  know  not  but  I  ought  to  keep  the  scroll,"  said  the 
cunning  hypocrite,  "to  prevent  farther  mistake."  He 
stretched  forth  his  hand  for  the  key  and  parchment,  as 
he  spoke. 

"  I  could  not  think  of  yielding  it  to  another,"  I  replied, 
"until  I  have  seen  the  Queen's  Confessor,  who,  I  am 


412  OUT  OF  THE  S UNSE T  SEA . 

told,  was  privy  to  the  deposit  when  it  was  made  or  was 
told  of  it  soon  after. " 

I  could  see  that  the  rascal  flinched  when  I  named  the 
man  whom  all  the  rogues  of  Spain  feared  even  more  than 
they  hated. 

"It  is  not  worth  while  to  trouble  the  Father  Ximenes 
with  so  small  a  matter,"  was  the  reply. 

"  But  him  that  sent  me  counted  it  not  a  trivial  thing," 
was  my  response. 

"  But  Del  Perro  was  proclaimed  and  a  reward  offered 
for  him, "  continued  the  sacristan,  with  a  great  show  of 
aversion.  "If  we  had  aught  of  his,  it  would  be  our 
duty  to  turn  it  over  to  the  authorities  by  whom  he  was 
proscribed. " 

"Yet  he  went  to  Espanola  with  the  Queen's  express 
leave, "  I  said,  "and  when  he  returns  will  no  doubt  find 
a  way  to  quicken  thy  memory.  It  is  ill  forgetting  a  trust 
devoted,  as  I  am  told  this  is,  to  holy  purposes.  Thou 
seest  I  have  brought  witnesses  with  me  who  can  testify 
of  this  demand." 

So  with  Bill  upon  one  side  and  the  Fray  Antonio  upon 
the  other,  I  walked  out  of  the  great  church,  looking,  as 
they  both  declared,  fitter  for  a  coffin  than  the  company 
of  men. 

Upon  the  streets  all  shunned  me,  putting  their  hands 
to  their  faces,  hurrying  by  on  the  other  side  and  looking 
at  each  other  with  unmistakable  apprehension.  I  could 
not  understand  it  until  the  Fray  pushed  down  my  cap 
which  had  fallen  on  the  back  of  my  head,  being  by  much 
too  large  now  that  there  was  no  hair  for  it  to  rest  on,  and 
showed  my  bare  poll,  which,  taken  with  my  pallor  and 
weakness,  made  them  fear  the  plague  had  come  again  and 
that  I  was  only  just  recovered  from  it.  This  knowledge 
gave  me  some  fear  that  the  authorities  might  restrain  my 
liberty,  but  I  judged  that  even  the  Holy  Office  would  not 
care  to  hinder  the  departure  of  one  whose  features  seemed 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA.  413 

to  bear  the  impress  of  the  much  dreaded  pest.  What  I 
would  do,  however,  I  felt  must  be  done  quickly.  Very 
early  on  the  morrow,  therefore,  we  set  out  for  the  palace 
where  the  Vicar  General  of  the  order  of  St.  Francis  lodged. 

Early  as  it  was,  the  saint  who  swayed  the  fortunes  of 
Castile  had  already  finished  his  orisons  and  was  abroad 
on  those  errands  of  mercy  for  which  he  was  not  less  noted 
than  for  sanctity.  As  we  approached  the  palace,  there 
came  a  clatter  of  hoofs  behind  us,  and  looking  about  we 
saw  the  Queen's  Confessor  mounted  on  the  Son  of  Achmet. 
The  hood  of  the  monk's  habit  which  he  wore  was  thrown 
back,  leaving  his  tonsured  head  bare.  There  were  only 
sandals  on  the  feet  that  rested  easily  in  the  stirrups,  and 
the  trappings  of  the  matchless  horse  were  as  plain  as  those 
of  the  mule  he  had  ridden  before  he  had  been  burthened 
with  the  possession  of  a  steed  which  stirred  the  envy  of 
every  cavalier  in  the  kingdom.  The  horse  showed  that 
he  had  enjoyed  the  morning  gallop,  and  the  flush  on  the 
rider's  pale  cheek  revealed  that  he  had  shared  the  pleasure 
of  the  beast  he  bestrode.  He  sprang  from  the  saddle  at 
the  foot  of  the  steps  that  led  up  to  the  palace,  with  a  light 
ness  which  told  that  his  austerities  had  not  impaired  his 
activity,  and  gave  the  horse  a  caress  before  delivering  him 
to  the  groom. 

We  had  halted  on  the  lower  step,  and  I  was  devouring 
with  my  eyes  the  noble  beast  for  which  I  felt  an  affection 
such  as  only  the  soldier  can  entertain  for  a  steed  of  merit 
which  has  shared  his  service.  Many  a  time  had  I  divided 
the  contents  of  my  alforjas  with  him,  and  well  I  knew 
that  if  I  should  whistle  ever  so  softly  even  now,  he  would 
follow  me  up  the  marble  steps  and  into  the  palace  of  the 
prelate.  I  could  not  refrain  from  trembling,  and  but  for 
the  supporting  arm  of  the  Fray  Antonio,  would  have  sunk 
down  where  I  stood.  I  heard  but  vaguely  the  "pax  vobis- 
cum"  of  the  prelate  as  he  stretched  forth  his  hands  in 
blessing  toward  us,  and  did  not  bow  my  head  nor  recog- 


4U  OUT  OF  THE.  SUNSET  SEA. 

nize   the   apostolic  salutation.     I    could  only  gaze   with 
trembling  eagerness  upon  the  horse  Xarifa  loved  ! 

Seeing  which  the  Father  Confessor  stopped  and  said 
in  a  tone  of  gentle  rebuke  : 

"Thou  seemest  much  absorbed  in  what  thou  seest, 
my  son  ? '' 

"Your  Excellency  rides  a  fine  horse,"  I  answered, 
bowing  my  head.  I  dared  not  look  up  lest  he  should  dis 
cover  my  agitation 

"Aye,"  he  responded,  bitterly,  "there  be  hardly  his 
equal  in  Castile." 

"  I  can  well  believe  that,"  was  my  reply. 

"Thou  wert  thinking  he  was  too  good  for  a  barefoot 
priest  to  bestride,  I  doubt  not  ?  " 

"Not  so,  your  Excellency;  why  may  not  a  prince  of 
the  Church  ride  a  good  horse  as  well  as  a  prince  of  the 
blood  ? " 

"  Because  his  Master  rode  an  ass,"  he  answered,  severely, 
"and  it  is  not  meet  that  the  servant  should  be  greater 
than  his  Lord." 

I  knew  that  he  crossed  himself  as  he  spoke,  and  I  in 
stinctively  did  the  same. 

"  Let  not  my  sin — for  it  be  my  sin — imperil  thy  soul, 
my  son.  The  steed  is  not  mine,  though  I  will  not  deny 
that  I  never  feel  the  touch  of  his  mane  or  note  the  easy 
strength  with  which  he  bears  my  weight,  that  I  do  not 
envy  him  to  whom  he  doth  belong.  Aye,  many  stripes 
have  I  borne  because  of  fear  least  I  might  covet  him 
for  mine  own  even  in  defiance  of  my  vow.  What  Uriah's 
wife  was  to  David,  such  is  the  Son  of  Achmet  to  Fran 
cisco  the  Monk,  whom  I  pray  God  he  hath  not  lifted  up 
but  to  cast  down.  Only  in  this  ;  I  did  not  send  the  owner 
forth  to  perish,  much  less  did  I  compass  his  death.  Yet 
if  he  comes  not  back  from  Espanola,  who  will  believe 
my  protest?  Envy  me  not,  my  son,  but  rather  pity 
me  that  I  am  compelled  to  bear  this  cross.  I  know  that 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA.  415 

all  Spain  points  to  this  as  the  special  sin  of  Francisco 
Ximenes,  who  professes  poverty,  yet  is  lodged  in  a  palace 
and  rides  a  horse  worth  a  king's  ransom.  Yet  what  can 
I  do  ?  One  who  is  beyond  my  reach,  knowing  how  I 
loved  the  noble  animal,  sent  him  to  me  with  the  word, 
'Keep  the  Son  of  Achmet  until  thou  hast  a  chance  to 
deliver  him  again  to  me  or  mine  ;  but  let  none  back  him 
but  thyself — not  even  royalty.' 

"And  I  did  accept  him  with  this  condition — or  rather 
there  was  no  opportunity  to  refuse.  And  now  what  can 
I  do  ?  If  I  leave  him  in  his  stall  I  do  wrong  to  him  that 
trusted  me;  for  what  saith  the  proverb:  'An  unused 
horse  soon  groweth  stale  as  uncorked  wine. '  If  I  ride  him, 
even  at  the  dawn  or  dusk,  the  unbelieving  wag  their  heads 
and  say  :  '  Behold  his  pride  ! '  Even  those  that  believe  are 
tempted  because  of  my  weakness.  O  Lord  !  how  long — 
how  long  wilt  thou  have  thy  servant  bear  this  burden  ? 
Yet  not  my  will,  O  Lord,  be  done,  but  thine  !  What  is  my 
cross  to  that  which  Thou  didst  bear?  Wouldst  thou  have 
speech  with  me,  my  son,  on  any  matter  of  thine  own  ?  " 
he  asked  in  kindly  tones,  as  the  groom  disappeared.  "I 
trow  thou  didst  not  come  hither  ere  the  sun  arose,  with 
the  mark  of  the  pest  upon  thy  brow  for  naught,  nor  even 
to  see  a  priest  ride  the  best  barb  in  Spain. " 

"In  truth,  your  Reverence,  I  came  upon  a  weighty 
matter,"  I  replied  humbly  ;  "too  weighty,  I  fear,  for  my 
strength."  For  my  weakness  was  fast  growing  more 
than  the  good  Fray  could  well  bear. 

"  Let  me  also  aid  thee,"  said  the  prelate,  stepping  down 
beside  me,  "  so  mayhap  may  I  undo  in  part  the  evil  which 
my  pride  hath  wrought.  Saith  not  the  Master,  'As  ye  do 
unto  the  least  of  these,  my  brethren,  so  shall  it  be  done 
to  thee  ?  ' ' 

His  lips  moved  in  prayer,  but  he  took  hold  of  me  on 
the  other  side  with  a  strength  that  amazed  me,  consider 
ing  the  slightness  of  his  build,  and  between  them  they 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 


lifted  me  up  the  steps  and  bore  me  to  the  audience  cham 
ber,  where  they  sat  me  down  upon  a  chair,  and  his  Excel 
lency  ordered  wine  to  be  brought,  which  was  very  grateful ; 
for  indeed  my  strength  was  nigh  spent. 

"Thou  hast  but  lately  come  to  the  city  ?"  he  asked, 
when,  somewhat  recovered,  I  sat  leaning  upon  my  staff 
while  the  good  Fray  Antonio  stood  beside  me,  fanning  my 
face  and  showing  great  concern  ;  for  it  was  evident  that  I 
had  overtaxed  my  strength. 

"I  came 
across  a  thou 
sand  leagues  of 
stormy  water  to 
bring  a  message 
to  your  Excel 
lency,  "I  answer 
ed. 

' '  Indeed,  my 
son  !  then,  thou 
must  be  one  of 
them  that  sailed 
with  the  Italian 
Colon  to  the  Ind, 
an'  thy  wits  be 
not  wandering/' 
said  the  prelate. 

He     evidently 

thought  they  were.  I  looked  up  at  this,  for  I  had 
not  thought  that  one  might  question  whether  I  were 
in  my  right  mind,  and  took  note  of  my  surroundings. 
The  Father  Confessor  was  seated  in  a  carved  oaken  chair 
at  a  broad  table  covered  with  papers.  Two  men  in  clerical 
attire  with  other  papers  in  their  hands  stood  near  awaiting 
his  commands.  1  took  a  packet  from  my  doublet,  and 
selecting  the  certificate  the  Captain  of  the  Pinta  had  given 
me,  extended  it  toward  him.  One  of  the  clerks  came 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA.  417 

forward,  without  waiting  for  directions,  and  handed  it  to 
him.  There  were  other  clerks  waiting  in  a  corner  of  the 
great  room,  which  was  furnished  with  exceeding  plainness, 
and  was  as  silent  as  the  cloisters  of  a  convent.  A  flush 
crept  over  the  pale  face  of  the  famed  ascetic  as  he  perused 
the  paper  and  gave  it  back  to  the  clerk  to  be  returned  to 
me. 

' '  Thou  hast  been  permitted  to  behold  wondrous  things, " 
he  said,  solemnly.  "I  am  glad  to  have  speech  with  one 
who  can  testify  of  these  new  marvels  of  God's  hand." 

He  made  the  sign  of  the  cross  as  he  spoke,  and  the 
ecclesiastics  in  attendance  bowed  their  heads  and  their 
hands  sought  their  rosaries. 

"Didst  say  thou  hadst  brought  a  message  for  me  ?  "  he 
asked,  sharply.  "  Who  was  there  in  that  far  land  who 
had  thought  of  the  unworthy  Francisco,  whom  God  assoil 
of  his  sins  !  " 

"One  who  knew  your  Excellency  well,"  I  answered, 
"and  had  reason  to  remember  your  displeasure." 

"  I  do  remind  me  now  that  there  was  one  akin  to  me  in 
the  flesh  and  bearing  my  name.  If  I  mistake  not  he  sailed 
in  the  same  ship  with  thee  ?  A  graceless  youth,  yet  I 
would  not  that  harm  befell  him.  If  I  be  not  misinformed 
he  is  one  of  them  that  were  left  in  Espanola  !  " 

"  Of  his  own  free  choice  he  did  remain,"  I  answered. 

"That  I  doubt  not  ;  there  be  much  charm  for  youth  in 
doing  what  another  hath  not  done  before.  I  had  hardly 
looked  for  him  to  send  a  message  to  me,  however.  What 
doth  he  wish  ?  My  influence  to  advance  his  interests,  I 
doubt  not.  He  that  hath  the  King's  favor  is  ever  counted 
a  beast  of  burden  for  the  convenience  of  his  kin/'  he  said 
with  biting  composure. 

"Truly,  I  think  your  nephew  even  less  inclined  to  ask 
favor  than  your  Excellency  to  grant  it,"  I  replied. 

"Is  that  thy  report?  I  do  assure  thee  it  gives  me 
pleasure  to  hear  it.  I  fear  I  have  little  charity  for  them 

27 


4i8  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

that  expect  others  to  bear  them  over  the  rough  places  in 
life's  journey.  I  take  it,  then,  thy  message  is  not  from 
him  ?  " 

"  He  did  send  his  duty  through  another,  as  I  do  believe  ; 
but  he  who  charged  me  with  a  message  was  related  to 
your  Excellency  only  in  function." 

"  A  priest  ? " 

"One  who  once  filled  that  holy  office.  Dost  thou 
remember  Pedro  Corbacho,  aforetime  Padre  of  Logrosa  ?  '• 

"  Name  him  not  in  my  presence  !  "  exclaimed  the  prelate 
with  cold  severity.  "A  foul  recreant  who  chose  to  riot 
with  Jezebel  rather  than  serve  his  Lord  !  A  contumacious 
wretch  whom  even  the  terrors  of  the  Church  could  not 
drive  from  the  arms  of  his  Delilah  !  It  was  one  thing  in 
which  her  Majesty  did  not  well  to  interfere  ;  when  the 
shepherd  betrays  his  trust  he  should  find  no  mercy.  How 
many  weak  souls  may  not  be  lost  through  his  recre 
ancy  ?  " 

"Thinkst  thou  not,  Holy  Father,  that  the  Church  is 
sometimes  too  severe  with  her  children  ?  " 

How  I  dared  to  utter  such  speech  in  presence  of  one 
whose  lack  of  charity  for  human  weakness  was  not  less 
widely  known  than  his  hate  of  sin,  I  know  not.  The 
words  of  the  poor  Padre  beyond  seas  were  yet  echoing  in 
mine  ears,  and  the  cruel  fate  of  Xarifa  had  given  me  a  hate 
for  the  instruments  of  tyranny  who  use  the  garb  of  the 
Church  to  sanctify  oppression,  which  even  a  present  sense 
of  danger  could  not  altogether  repress.  I  felt  the  Fray 
Antonio's  hand  tremble  on  my  shoulder  as  he  realized  the 
folly  of  my  words.  But  whether  it  was  my  evident  weak 
ness,  or  humiliation  at  the  thought  that  his  own  conduct 
might  be  misconstrued,  I  know  not  ;  but  the  Father  Con 
fessor  took  no  note  of  my  indiscretion.  On  the  contrary, 
his  tone  was  especially  kind  and  considerate  as  he  made 
answer  to  my  reckless  speech  : 

''  It  may  well  be,  my  son,  that  the  servants  of  the  Church 


CVT  or  THE  SUBSET  SEA.  419 

Sometimes  err  in  dealing1  over-harshly,  with  the  weak  and 
doubting-,  that  is  ;  never  with  the  incorrigible  and  defiant. 
This  was  long  a  stumbling-block  and  a  cause  of  sin  and 
rebellion  to  me  ;  but  with  prayer  and  mortification  I  came 
with  much  pain  to  know  the  truth.  Had  it  been  mine  to 
decide,  neither  Jew  nor  Paynim  who  professed  and  com 
plied,  however  weakly,  should  have  been  despoiled  or 
driven  without  the  realm.  The  willing  spirit  may  be  won 
from  error,  but  the  obdurate  and  contumacious,  the  Church 
does  well  to  destroy.  Remember,  my  son,  the  Church 
is  answerable  to  God  for  the  souls  of  all.  They  that  will 
not  yield  must  perforce  be  destroyed  ;  first,  because  it  is 
not  well  that  the  wicked  should  be  left  to  do  harm  to  the 
righteous  ;  second,  because  by  the  punishment  of  a  few, 
many  may  be  reformed  ;  and,  thirdly,  it  is  a  mercy  to 
obstinate  unbelievers  to  remove  them  from  this  life,  since 
the  longer  they  live  the  more  errors  they  invent, the  more 
persons  they  mislead  and  the  greater  damnation  do  they 
treasure  up  for  themselves. " 

As  he  uttered  the  concluding  words,  it  was  evident  that 
the  training  of  the  bigot  had  gotten  the  better  of  the  saint. 
The  voice  of  the  gentle  prelate  became  harsh,  his  eyes 
flashed,  and  his  cheeks  flushed,  so  that  it  was  easy  to  see 
how  cruel  theological  disquisition  may  make  the  tenderest- 
hearted  man. 

"  But  may  not  the  most  obdurate  repent,  Holy  Father  ?  " 
asked  the  Fray  Antonio,  with  deep  humility. 

"Aye,  and  that  maketh  doubly  difficult  the  task  of  him 
that  holds  the  scourge  of  the  Church.  But  this  man  whose 
name  I  will  not  utter — 

"Pardon,  Holy  Father,"  interrupted  Fray  Antonio, 
speaking  more  boldly  than  I  had  thought  it  possible  that 
he  should,  "  but  if  I  understand  aright,  this  sick  man  to 
whom  speech  is  a  sore  distress,  brings  to  thee  from  the 
priest  whom  thou  didst  chasten,  a  message  of  repentance 
and  submission,  praying  only  for  leave  to  serve  the  Church 


42(3  OUT  Of  Ttt£  SUtfSET  SKA. 

in  the  new  lands  where  he  hath  chosen  to  abide  in  such 
way  as  thou  shalt  direct. " 

"Is  this  true?  "  asked  the  Confessor,  sharply. 

"Aye,"  I  answered,  "  it  be  true.  An'  I  had  the  strength 
to  utter  but  a  single  word,  I  would  use  it  to  crave  pardon 
and  compassion  for  this  man  and  woman,  who,  however 
much  they  may  have  erred,  have  not  spared  themselves 
in  penitence  or  fallen  below  the  saints  in  self-sacrifice." 

Then  I  went  on  and  told  as  well  as  my  strength  would 
permit  the  story  of  the  Padre  and  his  Teresa,  as  it  had 
been  made  known  to  me.  I  was  compelled  often  to 
pause  both  by  sobs  and  weakness,  for  the  fever  doth  un 
man  and  enervate  beyond  all  other  distempers,  as  I  do 
think.  When  I  had  ended,  by  giving  him  the  letter  of  the 
Padre  and  the  little  book  he  had  prepared,  there  were  tears 
in  the  eyes  of  the  holy  man,  and  he  said  in  a  very  low, 
soft  voice  : 

"God  and  the  Saints  be  praised  that  we  live  to  see  such 
miracles  of  grace  !  " 

Then  all  the  ecclesiastics  who  were  present  fell  to  con 
sidering  the  work  the  Padre  had  done,  which  was  much 
blurred  by  reason  of  having  been  often  wet  with  salt 
water  during  the  stormy  homeward  voyage,  as  I  did  not 
fail  to  explain.  They  all  showed  great  interest  in  what 
was  indeed  a  very  wonderful  thing,  considering  under 
what  circumstances  it  was  done,  and  especially  the  Fray 
Antonio,  who  fell  upon  his  knees  and  besought  the  Father 
Confessor  that  the  book  might  be  committed  to  his  care, 
in  order  that  by  its  aid  he  might  be  fitted  to  bear  the  Gos 
pel  to  them  that  sat  in  darkness  in  the  new  lands,  to  which 
work  he  desired  to  be  wholly  consecrated.  Thereupon, 
the  holy  Father,  with  much  show  of  emotion,  blessed  him 
and  promised  that  after  he  had  dwelt  in  retreat  for  forty 
days,  if  his  inclination  was  still  toward  this  work,  his  de 
sire  should  be  granted.  Then  the  Fray  Antonio  rose  up 
and  kissed  the  grimy  leaves  and  folded  them  to  his  breast 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA.  421 

with  a  look  upon  his  face  that  minded  me  of  naught  so 
much  as  the  light  upon  the  Padre's  brow  when  he  waved 
me  farewell  upon  the  shore  of  Espaiiola.  Of  this  conse 
cration  great  things  afterward  came,  with  light  and  mercy 
to  many  souls  of  pitiful  estate  in  the  new  lands. 

"  I  will  examine  with  care  the  letter  thou  hast  brought," 
said  the  prelate,  "and  if  it  be  with  Pedro  Corbacho  as 
thou  hast  reported,  which  I  doubt  not,  the  interdict  shall 
be  removed.  This  much  thou  hast  leave  to  say  to  the 
woman  Teresa,  whom  may  the  Virgin  Mother  comfort 
and  the  saints  reward  for  her  faithfulness." 

With  this  saying  he  gathered  up  the  papers  as  if  the  au 
dience  were  at  an  end,  but  seeming  suddenly  to  recall 
somewhat  he  had  like  to  have  forgot,  he  turned  to  me 
and  said  : 

"But  for  thyself, — didst  thou  not  say  thou  hadst  some 
thing  of  importance  to  ask  of  me  ?  " 

It  chanced  that  when  I  was  not  sure  I  would  compass 
a  return  on  one  of  the  Admiral's  ships,  I  had  written  a 
letter  to  my  father  which  I  had  thought  to  send  by  one  of 
my  shipmates.  This  I  had  not  destroyed,  and  now  pro 
ducing  it,  all  soiled  and  worn  as  it  was,  I  laid  it  and  the 
receipt  of  the  sacristan  of  San  Marco  before  the  keeper  of 
the  royal  conscience  and  said  : 

"Before  we  did  sail  from  Espanola,  one  who  had  been 
a  soldier  in  the  war  against  the  Moors,  gave  these  things 
into  my  hand  and  besought  me,  should  I  ever  be  able,  to 
deliver  his  letter  and  the  casket  for  which  the  other  doth 
stand,  to  his  father,  to  whom  the  same  be  addressed. 
Moreover  he  directed  me,  should  aught  intervene  to  pre 
vent  the  performance  of  my  pledge,  to  apply  to  your  Ex 
cellency  who,  he  did  declare,  was  not  only  well-disposed 
toward  him,  but  under  such  obligation  as  might  incline 
your  Eminence  to  aid  such  purpose  in  any  manner  that 
might  be  within  thy  power  and  comport  with  thy 
duty. " 


422  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

The  Queen's  Confessor  glanced  down  at  the  superscrip 
tion  of  the  letter  which  he  held,  with  a  frown  upon  his 
brow,  and  read  aloud  : 

"The  Baron  Trude, 

Edgemont, 
County  Gloster, 

England. " 

"The  Baron  Trude,"  he  repeated.  "I  seem  to  have 
heard  the  name  but  cannot  now  recall  aught  connected 
with  it. " 

"  If  it  please  your  Excellency,"  said  the  Fray  Antonio, 
"to  let  me  examine  the  handwriting,  I  doubt  not  I  can 
refresh  your  memory.  Aye,"  he  continued,  when  he 
had  given  it  a  single  glance.  "It  is  as  I  feared.  I  am 
well  acquaint  with  the  Baron  Trude,  having  spent 
several  months  a  guest  at  his  house  at  Edgemont  and 
afterwards  being  his  debtor  for  many  kindnesses  at  the 
Court  of  King  Henry  VII. ,  where  he  is  a  man  of  mark, 
being  a  member  of  the  Privy  Council  and  a  peer  of  the 
realm.  This  letter  be  from  his  son,  Arturo  Lac,  who  came 
hither  during  the  war  with  the  Moors,  'gainst  whom  he 
served,  I  doubt  not,  with  credit,  but  of  that  I  know  naught, 
nor  have  I  been  able  to  learn  aught  concerning  him,  save 
that  he  fell  into  disfavor,  was  proclaimed,  and  disappeared. 
I  know  his  handwrite,  and  make  sure  this  is  his  inscrip 
tion." 

I  was  thankful,  when  I  heard  the  Fray's  speech,  that  I 
had  been  of  late  unable  to  write  and  that  in  my  raving  I 
had  not  betrayed  myself. 

"Arturo  Lac,  Arturo  Lac,"  repeated  the  Confessor, 
absently. 

"If  your  Excellency  permit,"  I  said,  in  a  low,  weak 
voice,  "he  did  assure  me  that  the  casket  was  deposited 
with  the  sacristan  in  the  name  of  Artis  del  Porro,  though 
he  was  borne  on  the  ship's  books  as  Tallerte  de  Lajes,  all 
of  which  names,  he  says,  be  the  same  in  effect." 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA.  423 

"Aye,"  said  the  Confessor,  quickly,  "I  now  remember 
him.  How  should  I  ever  forget  one  who  has  caused  me 
so  much  sorrow  ?  It  was  he  who,  when  he  went  away, 
sent  to  me  the  Son  of  Achmet,  and  I  have  kept  strict 
watch  of  the  port  of  Palos  that  whenever  Tallerte  de  Lajes 
should  set  foot  upon  dry  land  again,  I  might  return  to  him 
this  gift  which  hath  been  the  source  of  so  much  humilia 
tion  to  me.  I  even  importuned  the  Admiral  about  him 
when  he  did  pass  through  the  city  on  his  way  to  the 
Court,  but  he  would  say  naught  save  that  he  I  sought 
had  remained  in  Espanola  and  had  surrendered  to  the 
charms  of  an  Indian  princess  ;  which  latter  is  not  what  I 
would  have  looked  for  on  the  part  of  Del  Porro,  who  be 
sides  being  a  good  soldier,  had  no  need  to  solace  himself 
with  a  blackamoor." 

It  seemed  as  if  the  top  of  my  bare  head  must  have 
flushed  with  shame  as  my  eyes  fell  upon  the  floor  when 
I  heard  these  words.  But  no  one  took  any  note  of  my 
confusion  because  of  my  weakness. 

"And  this  casket, "  continued  the  Confessor,  "I  have 
heard  of  that,  too.  The  Sacristan  of  San  Marco  must 
have  a  bad  memory."  He  smiled  scornfully,  as  he  spoke. 
"And  now  what  dost  thou  desire?"  he  asked,  turning 
to  me. 

"  Leave  to  depart  the  realm,"  I  answered. 

"  How  wouldst  thou  go  ? " 

"A  ship  lieth  in  the  river  with  anchor  atrip,  bound  for 
the  port  of  Bristol,  and  the  leeches  do  aver  that  a  colder 
clime  be  needful  to  heal  the  malignancy  of  my  dis 
temper." 

"And  a  nurse — thou  forgettest  it  be  also  needful  thou 
shouldst  have  a  nurse  ?  "  said  the  Fray  Antonio. 

There  was  something  in  his  tone  that  made  the  Con 
fessor  look  at  him  suspiciously,  whereat  the  young  priest's 
face  did  flush  and  his  eyes  fell. 

"And  hath  a  nurse  been  selected  ?  "  he  asked. 


4 24  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

"It  hath  been  thought  that  the  sister  of  this  Teresa  of 
whom  we  have  spoken  might  serve,"  I  said. 

"  A  licensed  courtesan  !  "  said  the  prelate,  severely. 

"Licensed,  if  it  please  your  Excellency,"  interposed 
the  Fray  Antonio,  submissively  but  firmly,  "but  I  can 
avouch  no  courtesan." 

"  Thou  seemest  to  have  a  very  high  opinion  of  her, 
my  brother. " 

"  Why  should  I  not?  I  be  her  confessor  and  know 
whereof  I  speak  !  " 

"But  her  sister — this  Teresa  ?  " 

"She  hath  but  few  days  to  live." 

' '  The  more  need  the  other  should  remain  and  comfort 
her. " 

"Teresa  especially  desireth  that  she  should  go." 

"But  why?  I  like  not  the  thought  of  asking  leave  for 
a  youngster  and  his  leman  to  depart  together,  even  if  she 
be  one  of  those  whom  Spain  can  best  spare." 

"  If  you  please,  good  father,"  I  said,  "  I  think  it  is  not 
only  to  escape  the  shame  attaching  to  her  position  that 
she  is  willing  to  go  as  such  attendant,  but  because  a 
young  man,  one  of  the  sailors  on  the  ship,  hath  made 
her  proffer  of  an  honorable  love.  To  me,  she  is  as  a 
sister,  both  because  of  the  love  and  honor  I  bear  the 
Padre  Corbacho,  and  the  fact  that  I  owe  what  chance 
there  be  of  life  for  me,  to  the  care  which  she  and  her 
sister  did  bestow  upon  a  stranger. " 

"  Thou  wouldst  take  her  then,  not  so  much  to  minister 
to  thy  need,  as  to  secure  her  welfare? " 

"  Thou  hast  said  it,  holy  father." 

"  And  thou  wilt  swear  that  this  be  true  ?  " 

"As  I  hope  for  salvation." 

"Suppose  I  should  ask  thee  to  take  the  barb  thou  hast 
seen  and  deliver  him  to  the  father  of  this  Del  Porro,  from 
whom  I  did  receive  him  ?  " 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 


425 


"I  shall  be  most  happy  to  oblige  your  Excellency,"  I 
said,  striving  to  repress  my  pleasure  at  the  proposal. 

"Thou  wouldst  care  for  him  tenderly  and  deliver  him 
faithfully  ?  " 

"There  should  be  naught  lacking  that  my  care  could 
secure,"  was  my  reply. 

"  Thinkst  thou  he  would  be  well  provided  aboard?  " 

"I  am  told  that  the  ship's  owner  is  very  kindly  dis 
posed  to  him  from  whom  thou  didst  receive  the  beast," 
said  the  Fray  Antonio,  "as  indeed,  is  every  one  who 
dwelleth  at  the  port  of  Bristol ;  so  I  make  no  doubt  his 
agent  would  take  special  pains  to  please  thee. " 

"  What  be  the  agent's  name?  " 

The  Fray  gave  the  address  of  the  merchant  Jacobo 
Santo,  which  one  of  the  clerks  writ  down. 

"And  where  is  the  dwelling  of  this  Teresa,  with  whom 
you  lodge  ? " 

Of  this  also  direction  was  given. 

"  Knew  she  of  this  visit  ?  " 

"The  moments  will  be  ages  until  she  learns  thy 
decision." 

"  Bid  her  wait  in  patience.  It  will  not  be  long — per 
haps  upon  the  morrow.  Is  there  aught  more  thou  wouldst 
ask  ?  " 

We  bowed  our  heads,  received  his  blessing  and  with 
drew.  Many  were  by  this  time  entering  the  audience- 
room.  Upon  the  stairs  we  met  others. 

"  By  the  Virgin,  De  Cordova,"  I  heard  a  voice  say,  as 
we  went  down  the  steps,  "were  it  not  for  his  bald  head 
and  plague-struck  face,  know  you  whom  I  had  taken 
yon  dotard  for  ?  " 

"I  cannot  guess,  unless  some  Paynim  corpse  that 
haunts  thy  fancy. " 

"  Paynim  !  God's  mercy  !  it  be  the  very  figure  of  our 
Adjutant  of  Infantry  you  ordered  me  to  arrest  !  " 

"Upon    my  soul,   Ojeda,    thou  shouldst  have   been  a 


426  CUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

poet,  thy  fancy  is  so  warm  !  I  would  God  it  were  he  ! 
but  well  I  know  it  is  only  the  fact  that  I  am  come  to 
tempt  Francisco  Ximenes  to  part  with  the  barb  the 
Adjutant  rode,  that  brings  him  to  my  mind.  Heavens  ! 
What  need  hath  a  priest  who  scorns  rings  and  croziers 
and  will  not  even  look  at  a  cardinal's  hat,  of  such  a  horse! 
If  he  were  a  soldier  now,  like  his  Grace  of  Toledo,  or  a 
thief  like  thy  precious  uncle,  Fonseca,  there  might  be 
some  sense  in  his  having  such  a  mount ;  but  a  steed  of 
such  quality  suits  not  the  humility  of  an  ascetic  like 
Francisco  Ximenes  ;  though  by  my  faith  the  Father  Con 
fessor  hath  a  light  hand  on  the  rein  and  an  easy  seat  in 
the  saddle,  if  he  hath  a  bare  foot  in  the  stirrup.  But  if 
he  will  not  sell  me  the  Son  of  Achmet,  I  swear  by  St. 
Jago,  I  will  have  him,  even  if  I  be  compelled  to  send  thee 
with  a  company  of  my  Asturians  to  steal  him.  Heavens  ! 
Look  at  him  you  would  mistake  for  the  Adjutant,  now  !  " 

I  had  taken  off  my  red  cap  and  craned  my  neck  around 
as  if  to  observe  the  arch  of  the  doorway  through  which 
we  were  passing. 

"I  knew  little  of  his  face,"  said  the  stubborn  captain, 
"but  put  a  basinet  on  that  head  and  f  shirt  of  mail  on 
those  shoulders  and  he  would  be  uncommon  like  as  good 
a  soldier  as  ever  drew  blade  against  the  Moors  !  " 

"That  he  was!  That  he  was!"  said  De  Cordova, 
with  an  earnestness  that  compelled  me  to  put  on  my  cap 
lest  my  flushed  face  should  attract  attention. 

It  was  on  the  afternoon  of  the  next  day  that  the  Father 
Confessor  entered  our  lodging  with  the  greeting  : 

' '  Peace  be  within  these  walls  !  " 

He  handed  me  the  keys  of  the  casket  I  had  deposited 
at  San  Mario,  saying  with  a  smile  : 

"The  Sacristan  is  growing  old,  my  son,  and  age  thou 
knowest  doth  induce  forgetfulness.  When  I  reminded 
him  of  the  circumstances  attending  the  deposit,  he  remem 
bered  it  at  once  and  placed  the  casket  with  the  key  he 


OUT  OF  rrilE  SUNSET  SEA.  427 

held  in  my  hands.  Thou  wilt  find  my  secretary  on  board 
the  Alfreda  with  it  in  his  possession.  He  will  remain  with 
thee  until  thou  readiest  the  river's  mouth.  Here  be  thy 
permit  to  embark.  The  Son  of  Achmet  is  already  aboard. 
I  would  counsel  that  thy  departure  be  not  delayed.  None 
knoweth  what  an  hour  may  bring-  forth.  God  bless  thee, 
my  son,  and  send  thee  a  prosperous  voyage,  deliverance 
from  danger  and  healing  of  thy  malady." 

I  fell  upon  my  knees  before  the  good  man,  but  could 
not  utter  the  thanks  that  filled  my  heart ;  for  I  was  very 
weak  and  the  unexpected  good  fortune  he  had  brought 
was  too  much  for  me.  I  could  only  kiss  his  hand  with 
tears. 

"I  know  what  thou  wouldst  say,  my  son,  but  thy 
matters  demand  despatch.  Here  is  a  letter  to  the  Baron 
Trude  I  must  beg  thee  to  deliver  as  soon  as  occasion 
serves.  Where  is  she  who  is  to  go  with  thee  ?  " 

"With  her  sister,  who  since  our  return  on  yesterday 
hath  not  left  her  bed.  Indeed,  I  think  she  lyeth  at  the 
point  of  death  and  the  Fray  Antonio  hath  already  pre 
pared  her  soul." 

"I  trust  I  am  not  too  late,"  he  said,  anxiously.  "I 
have  brought  her  a  copy  of  the  rescript  of  His  Grace  of 
Toledo,  resolving  the  interdict." 

I  led  him  through  the  hall  to  the  apartment  of  Teresa. 
Maria  knelt  on  the  farther  side  of  the  couch  holding  her 
sister's  hand.  The  Fray  Antonio  knelt  before  the  dying 
woman  whispering  the  prayers  of  the  Church.  Her  noble 
face  was  calm,  but  a  thin  red  line  stole  now  and  then 
between  her  lips,  only  to  be  wiped  away  by  the  watchful 
Sister  of  Mercy  who  stood  beside  the  pillow.  At  the  foot 
of  the  bed,  his  honest  face  clouded  with  grief,  was  Irish 
Bill.  As  soon  as  Teresa  saw  us  enter  she  made  a  sign  for 
us  to  draw  near.  The  Father  Confessor,  remembering 
first  that  he  was  a  priest,  raised  his  hands  in  blessing. 

"  Peace  be  with  thee,  my  daughter  !     Though  thou  hast 


428  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

sinned  even  as  Magdalen,  thy  faith  hath  made  thce  whole  ! 
I  bring  thee  the  desire  of  thy  heart  with  the  blessing  of  the 
Archbishop  who  represents  within  this  Sec,  the  Sovereign 
Pontiff,  and  is  pleased  in  his  name  to  revoke  and  rescind 
the  interdict  aforetime  pronounced  against  Pedro  Corba- 
cho,  once  pastor  of  the  church  at  Logrosa,  thereby  restor 
ing  him,  wherever  he  may  be,  to  the  office  and  function 
of  a  priest  of  the  One  Holy  Catholic  Church.'' 

A  smile  of  sweet  content  spread  over  the  dying  woman's 
face.  Clasping  her  hands  above  her  breast,  with  an 
upward  glance  of  gratitude  and  a  single  sigh,  Teresa  of 
Logrosa  passed  away  from  earth.  At  the  same  moment, 
the  countenance  of  an  alguazil  showed  itself  at  the  door. 

"Teresa  of  Logrosa  and  Maria  of  Logrosa!"  he  ex 
claimed  in  a  loud,  harsh  voice,  reading  from  a  paper  which 
he  held. 

"  Silence,  thou  carrion  !  "  said  the  Confessor,  turning 
fiercely  upon  him.  "  Seest  thou  not  the  presence  of  death 
and  the  servants  of  the  Church  performing  their  func 
tions  ?  Tell  me  thy  name,  and  if  thou  wouldst  escape 
the  doom  of  him  that  profanes  such  holy  rites,  repair  at 
once  to  the  Church  of  San  Marco  and  with  the  sacristan 
who  sent  thee  hither  and  did  incite  this  sacrilege,  see 
that  thou  dost  prostrate  thyself  before  the  altar  and  repeat 
upon  thy  bended  knees,  before  thy  lips  speak  to  mortal 
save  to  deliver  this  command  to  him,  an  hundred  Aves 
each.  When  the  day  dawns  come  you  together  to  my 
audience-room  and  I  will  consider  what  farther  penance 
ye  shall  do  to  save  your  guilty  souls  !  " 

The  man  shrunk  back  in  terror  before  the  wrath  of  the 
fierce  ascetic,  and  when  dismissed  by  a  wave  of  his  white 
hand,  fled  as  if  pursued  by  a  direful  fate. 

"  Maria  de  Logrosa,"  said  the  Confessor,  turning  toward 
the  couch. 

The  sorrowing  girl  came  forth  and  threw  herself  in  a 
passion  of  tears  at  his  feet.  "Weep  not,  my  daughter," 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 


429 


he  said  as  his  hand  rested  on  her  head.  "  I  have  learned 
of  thy  faithfulness  and  have  taken  steps  to  remove  thy 
shame.  Her  Majesty,  the  Queen,  shall  know  of  thy  truth, 
and  I  doubt  not  she  will  by  public  edict  commend  the 
same  and  cause  thy  registration  to  be  annulled.  In  the 
mean  time,  him  them  hast  nursed  hath  need  of  thy  care 
and  will  be  to  thee  a  brother.  Thy  safety  and  his  admit 
of  no  delay.  Leave  thy  dead  in  my  care  ;  I  promise  she 
shall  have  such  honor  in  death  as  she  knew  not  in  life. 
Tarry  not  a  moment  and  take  with  thee  my  blessing. 
Brother  Antonio,  and  thou,  my  son,  go  with  them  to  the 
house  of  the  merchant  Jacobo  Santo  whence  they  may 
the  more  readily  embark." 

All  night  long  the  soft  east  wind  bore  us  down  the  Gua 
dalquivir,  swollen  with  the  spring  rains.  Before  the 
morrow's  sunset,  blue  water  swelled  under  our  keel  and 
Spain  with  its  horror  and  peril,  adventure  and  glory,  was 
sinking  from  view.  The  excitement  was  too  much  for 
me,  and  for  the  time  the  need  of  a  nurse  was  no  matter  of 
pretence.  It  seemed  as  if  the  treacherous  tropic  fever 
were  about  to  get  me  again  in  its  clutch,  but  the  lapping 
of  the  waves  and  the  gentle  motion  of  the  ship  lulled  me 
to  sleep,  while  the  smell  of  the  salt  sea  winds  brought 
medicament. 

So  I  was  able  to  sit  upon  the  deck  and  watch  the 
familiar  shore-lines  as  we  sailed  up  the  Severn  ;  to  note 
each  remembered  landmark  as  we  lay  by  for  the  rising 
tide  to  cover  the  Ledges  at  the  mouth  of  Avon  :  to  breathe 
a  prayer  to  good  St.  Vincent  as  we  passed  his  frowning 
cliffs  and  feel  the  wonted  thrill  of  narrowly-escaped  dis 
aster  as  the  Alfreda,  with  her  sunny-faced  young  captain 
at  the  helm,  just  grazed  the  side  of  grim  Breakfaucet,  and 
then,  with  only  her  light  foresail  set,  sped  swiftly  on 
through  scenes  that  filled  my  heart  with  a  yearning  sense 
of  home-coming,  along  the  devious  stretches  that  led  to 


430  OUT  Of  THE  StfNStiT  SEA. 

Master  Flemming's  dock.  Yet,  as  I  stood  by  the  bulwark 
while  the  tidy  craft  was  warped  into  her  berth,  heard  the 
shouts  with  which  the  apprentices  greeted  their  returning 
friends,  and  saw  Master  Flemming  wave  his  hand  in 
salutation  to  the  Captain  at  my  side,  I  could  but  laugh 
at  the  difference  between  the  hairless,  heavy-bearded 
man,  his  face  yet  sallow  with  the  fever's  touch,  and  the 
sturdy  fresh-cheeked  lad  who,  little  better  than  four  years 
agone,  had  thenceforth  sailed  away  with  brave  Sir  Thomas 
Darcy  and  his  gallant  company.  The  boy's  eyes  were 
full  of  the  brave  light  of  high  expectancy  ;  the  man  stood 
on  unburied  ashes  which  erstwhile  stung  his  heart 
to  hate. 


Chapter -xxxv-  f 


THE  Son  of  Achmet  made  the  voyage  as  befitted  a 
steed  of  royal  blood.  The  Father  Confessor's  liberality 
had  secured  him  a  stall  amidships  on  the  Alfreda,  which, 
in  consideration  of  his  being  consigned  to  Baron  Trude. 
had  been  ingeniously  lined  with  Spanish  fleeces,  so  that 
if,  at  any  time,  his  footing  should  fail  by  reason  of  the 
motion  of  the  vessel,  there  would  be  little  danger  of 
bruises.  But  the  intelligent  animal  scarcely  needed  these 
kindly  precautions.  The  voyage  was  uncommonly  quick 
and  smooth,  and  whenever  the  sea  grew  rough  he  man 
ifested  an  unexpected  wisdom  by  lying  down  upon  the 
barley-straw  which  was  heaped  abundantly  about  him. 

"Don't  moind  it.no  more  than  a  kitten,"  was  Bill's 
report  of  his  charge's  condition  when  first  we  felt  rough 
water  under  our  keel. 

A  hint  from  Jacobo  had  led  to  the  concealment  of  our 
identity  from  the  Captain  and  crew.  Bill  was  known  only 
as  an  Irishman  who  desired  to  get  out  of  Spain  and  return 
to  his  own  country,  and  had  accordingly  shipped  in  place 
of  the  sailor  who  had  died  ;  I  was  Sefior  Juan  de  Sevilla, 
a  Spanish  gentleman,  going  to  England  for  my  health,  and 
incidentally  charged  to  deliver  the  horse  to  Baron  Trude. 

The  better  to  carry  out  this  plan,  Jacobo  had  provided 

43 1 


432  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

for  me  clothing1  to  suit  my  assumed  character.  Maria, 
albeit  she  was  represented  to  be  a  nurse,  was  from  the 
first  regarded  as  of  quite  a  different  rank.  The  deference 
shown  her  by  the  Confessor's  secretary  and  myself,  no 
doubt  strengthened  this  idea.  By  asking  that  Bill  should 
be  especially  charged  with  the  Son  of  Achmet,  I  easily  pro 
vided  for  such  intercourse  between  us  as  comported  with 
our  assumed  relations.  This  precaution  proved  needless, 
but  there  seemed  no  good  reason  why  it  should  be  aban 
doned,  and  as  it  might  be  'of  service  in  case  we  should  be 
boarded  by  a  Spanish  ship  even  at  the  last  moment,  it 
was  thought  best  that  our  identity  should  not  be  disclosed 
until  we  were  safe  on  British  soil.  That  the  Captain  sus 
pected  a  closer  relation  between  Maria  and  myself,  it  was 
easy  to  perceive,  and  it  was  not  long  before  I  learned 
he  was  in  doubt  whether  she  were  my  sister  or  my  sweet 
heart.  That  I  was  either  a  grandee  or  a  Jew  escaping 
from  the  Inquisition  through  the  connivance  of  the  Queen's 
Confessor,  he  had  surmised,  and  this  impression  was  con 
firmed  by  the  largess  paid  for  the  transportation  of  the 
Son  of  Achmet. 

If,  however,  there  was  a  question  as  to  my  identity, 
there  was  none  as  to  that  of  the  horse.  His  story  had 
been  as  carefully  published  as  mine  had  been  studiously 
concealed.  It  was  known  to  all  the  crew  that  the  match 
less  barb  had  once  belonged  to  the  youngest  son  of  the 
Baron  Trude,  who  after  various  adventures  in  the  war 
with  the  Moors,  had  mysteriously  disappeared.  That  he 
had  risen  to  distinction  as  a  soldier  was  inferred  from  the 
equipment  of  the  horse,  which  was  brought  on  board 
caparisoned  in  all  the  gay  trappings  worn  when  he  was 
the  special  pride  of  the  Adjutant  of  Infantry. 

"  It  must  have  been  a  sad  thing  for  the  Baron  to  lose 
his  youngest  son,  after  all  his  other  misfortunes,"  said  the 
Captain,  with  evident  compassion,  one  day  as  he  sat 
beside  my  cot.  "Though  it  be  said  the  two  were  stoutly 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA.  433 

at  odds  by  reason  of  his  desire  that  the  lad  should  pursue 
a  religious  life,  for  which  he  had  no  vocation,  I  doubt 
not  he  will  be  main  glad  to  see  the  beast  his  son  rode. 
He  was  a  great  fighter  in  his  young  days,  himself ;  they 
tell  me  King  Henry  had  small  chance  of  getting  his  own 
but  for  the  help  of  the  Baron's  sword  and  the  following 
he  brought  to  the  King's  banner  through  the  favor  he  had 
with  them  that  upheld  the  right  of  Lancaster.  However, 
that  be  all  over  now,  and  we  have  peace  and  prosperity 
since  the  King's  rule  was  established,  which  hath  been 
of  special  advantage  to  the  good  town  of  Bristol." 

Fearing  to  betray  myself,  I  manifested  no  further 
interest  in  the  matter  than  to  ask  how  far  it  was  from  the 
landing  at  Bristol  to  the  Baron's  demesne  of  Edgemont. 

"A  short  hour's  ride,"  he  answered,  "upon  such  a 
steed  as  that  we  have  aboard,  should  he  land  in  good 
condition,  and  you  be  well  enough  to  sit  the  saddle.  I 
will  myself  go  with  thee,  for  every  one  that  sails  from  the 
port  of  Bristol  is  aye  enjoined  by  the  old  lord  to  make 
inquiry  for  the  son  he  hath  lost.  Even  now  I  have  a 
letter  which  I  am  commissioned  by  Jacobo  Santo  to  place 
in  his  hands  without  delay  ;  in  case,  that  is — 

He  paused  in  some  embarrassment,  and  then  in  answer 
to  my  look  of  inquiry  : 

"In  case  you  should  not  arrive  safely  or  be  unable 
to  proceed,"  he  added  apologetically.  "  Mayhap,  the  dis 
patches  you  carry  may  render  mine  unnecessary.  Never 
theless,  I  will  go  with  thee,  though  I  doubt  not  there  will 
be  bitter  greeting  when  we  bring  home  the  horse  and  no 
word  of  him  that  once  bestrode  him." 

"Is  the  son  then  wholly  lost?  "  I  asked,  curtailing  my 
speech  as  best  I  might. 

"  I  think  from  somewhat  Master  Flemming  let  fall,  that 
my  Lord  Baron  did  surmise  the  lad  might  be  with  them 
that  sailed  with  the  Admiral  Colon.  I  did  hope  when  I 
learned  of  his  return  that  the  young  lord  might  be  with 

28 


434  °UT  Of1'  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

him.  But  Jacobo  Santo,  who  went  post  to  Moguer 
instant  on  his  arrival,  and  did  return  to  Seville  in  the 
Admiral's  train  learned  naught  of  him.  It  will  be  a  sore 
message  to  bring  them  that  wait  for  the  lad.  Belike  if  he 
had  come  he  might  have  stirred  up  King  Henry's  caution 
to  adventure  something  of  his  treasure  in  seeking  new 
traffic  for  our  ships,  which  be  now  greatly  restrained  by 
the  rivalry  of  other  fleets.  The  Basque  fishers  have  al 
ready  taken  bacallos  off  Thule  and  claim  to  have  found 
even  better  feeding-grounds  beyond,  where  they  be  so 
many  that  a  ship  can  hardly  make  its  way  through  the 
shoals." 

"  Be  there  navigators  in  Bristol  who  would  embark  in 
such  adventure  ? " 

"  Navigators  !  "  he  answered,  with  impatience.  "Aye, 
and  merchants  !  Thou  knowest  little  of  English  mer 
chants  and  sailors,  Sefior,  to  ask  that.  Ever  since  my 
remembrance  there  have  been  at  the  port  of  Bristol,  they 
who  chafed  like  dogs  in  leash,  to  attempt  the  unknown 
sea.  And  our  merchants  clamor  ever  for  new  marts.  In 
spite  of  the  corsairs  of  Algeria  and  the  rivalry  of  the 
Italians,  our  ships  go  now  even  to  Egeria,  on  whose 
coast  but  the  last  year,  one  of  my  father's  ships  was  cast. 
I  do  but  sail  this  for  Master  Flemming  while  another  is 
being  built  for  me. " 

"Thy  name  is  Blanquet,  I  think  !  " 

"Aye,"  he  answered  with  a  smile,  "a  name  which 
liketh  to  be  known  as  wide  as  that  of  him  who  found  the 
way  to  Ind,  because  of  the  wares  my  father  makes,  which 
be  called  after  him  ;  Matthew  Blanquet,  at  your  service, 
Sen  or." 

He  touched  his  cap  with  the  abrupt  courtesy  of  a  British 
mariner.  He  was  a  young  man  of  about  my  own  age,  as 
I  judged. 

"The  English  seek  always  traffic  rather  than  advent 
ure,"  I  said,  musingly. 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA.  435 

"An  unprofitable  voyage  maketh  a  dull  home-coming-, 
Senor,"  he  replied,  "  however  full  of  hard  knocks  it  may 
be  ;  but  I  never  heard  of  British  mariner  or  merchant  that 
shrunk  from  any  venture  because  of  blows  or  danger.  I 
own  it  doth  fret  me  that  the  King's  parsimony  should  have 
left  it  for  Spanish  prows  to  show  us  the  way  to  a  new 
market.  For  myself,  though  I  believe  not  all  the  Admiral 
and  his  men  tell  of  the  new  lands  they  have  found,  I 
would  like  nothing  better  than  a  voyage  thither,  even  if 
we  brought  back  nothing  better  than  the  gay  nettings 
with  which  the  Pinta  was  loaded.  It  was  a  good  lading, 
too,  for  the  hamac  exactly  befits  the  climate  of  Spain  and 
the  habits  of  her  people ;  so  that  the  wonder  be  they 
waited  so  long  for  the  heathen  to  find  out  their  need. 
Perhaps  an  English  eye  as  keen  as  Alonzo  Pinzon's  might 
find  something  there  to  meet  English  wants  as  well." 

I  smiled  wearily,  and  my  watchful  nurse  declared  that  I 
must  talk  no  more.  So  I  turned  over  in  my  narrow  cot 
and  dreamed,  not  of  the  past,  which  I  had  left  behind  in 
Spain,  but  of  the  future  when  I  should  sail  in  a  British 
craft  for  the  island  of  Cubagua  where  the  pearls  do  grow. 
Such  is  the  inconsistency  of  youth  !  It  was  scarce  two 
months  since  the  knowledge  of  Xarifa's  untimely  fate  had 
almost  deprived  me  of  life.  Now,  though  it  hung  like  a 
dark  cloud  over  me,  shutting  out  all  hope  of  happiness, 
yet  it  had  already  become  a  spur  to  new  adventure.  I 
felt  that  love  had  cut  my  life  in  twain.  Xarifa  was  not 
only  of  the  past,  but  of  that  land  of  which  I  hated  all, 
save  her  memory.  Not  one  thought  of  her  was  associated 
with  the  home  to  which  I  was  returning,  save  her  urgent 
longing  to  behold  its  loveliness.  Child  of  the  Moor  as 
she  was,  the  love  of  verdure  was  part  of  her  English  in 
heritance.  I  have  often  wondered  that  I  was  not  con 
sumed  with  raging,  murderous  hate  for  those  who  had 
taken  her  sweet  young  life ;  but  in  truth,  the  Padre's 
teaching  had  given  me  great  tenderness  for  human  weak- 


436  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

ness  along  with  greater  reverence  for  Christian  truth,  so 
that  in  my  own  despair,  I  found  myself  pitying  the  weak 
instruments  of  a  distorted  faith  rather  than  discarding  the 
faith  itself.  At  the  same  time,  I  knew  my  future  must  be 
full  of  action  or  this  brooding  sorrow  would  consume  its 
strength.  Already,  at  the  threshold  of  manhood,  I  had 
lived  one  life.  The  years  that  were  to  come  must  be  of 
another.  I  wondered  what  the  Captain  meant  by  my 
father's  "misfortunes  "  but  doubted  not  that  he  did  refer  to 
my  mother's  death.  I  was  glad  to  think  that  he  had  mani 
fested  some  anxiety  about  my  fate  ;  but  had  no  thought 
that  aught  he  might  wish  or  do,  could  make  for  me  a 
pleasant  homing.  England  was  home  to  me  no  more, 
because  neither  my  mother  nor  Xarifa  were  there,  the  two 
beings  who  alone  had  entered  into  my  life  as  a  part  of  it. 

"But  there  be  sweet-faced  Elsie  Flemming  ;  "  so  spake 
that  monitor  which  will  not  let  us  forget  our  follies,  great 
or  small.  My  face  flushed  with  shame  as  the  thought 
swept  over  me.  How  completely  had  I  forgotten  the 
girl  I  once  thought  I  loved  so  ardently.  And  she  ?  Had 
she  waited  for  me  ?  Did  she  still  love  me  ? 

While  I  listened  to  the  gentle  plash  of  the  waves  along 
the  ship's  sides,  and  heard  the  humming  of  the  wind  and 
the  contented  creaking  of  the  cordage,  telling  of  fair  prog 
ress  and  favoring  gales,  I  determined  that  whatever  other 
mistakes  I  might  make  in  life,  there  should  be  no  conceal 
ments.  I  would  tell  the  gentle  Elsie  the  whole  truth,  and 
if  she  desired  to  possess  what  was  left  of  a  life  so  early 
burned  out,  I  would  not  shrink  from  fulfillment  of  my 
boyish  pledge.  With  these  thoughts  in  my  mind  but 
greatly  restored  by  the  delightsome  voyage,  we  came  to 
the  wharf  at  Bristol  and  I  ran  down  the  plank,  for  the  tide 
was  at  the  full,  to  the  floor  of  Master  Flemming's  ware 
house  with  my  hand  upon  the  mane  of  the  impatient  Son 
of  Achmet,  while  Irish  Bill  clung  to  his  bridle  on  the  other 
side.  I  loosed  my  hold  when  we  came  opposite  the  door 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA.  437 

of  the  counting-room,  where  I  stopped  in  front  of  Master 
Flemming,  vaguely  wondering  why  he  did  not  salute  me. 

"  How  art  thou,  Matthew  ? ''  he  exclaimed,  looking  past 
me  and  extending  his  hand  to  the  young  Captain,  who 
came  ashore  with  something  of  that  exaggerated  dignity 
which  command  is  apt  to  give  the  young,  "  Hast  thou 
had  a  good  voyage  ?  " 

"Excellent,  father.  I  was  detained  a  long  time  by 
Jacobo  Santo,  who  declared  that  we  would  lose  nothing 
by  delay  ;  as,  indeed,  we  did  not.  We  have  a  rare  cargo  ; 
the  first  clip  of  fine  fleeces  ;  more  quicksilver  than  ever 
before,  and  vastly  richer  as  Jacobo  says,  though  I  see  not 
what  difference  there  can  be  between  one  bag-full  of  the 
curious  stuff  and  another." 

"Ah,  my  son,  thou  knowest  not  the  shrewdness  of 
Jacobo  !  "  said  Master  Flemming.  "  He  is  a  \vise  old  fox  ; 
and  withal  an  honest  merchant,  too  ;  I  would  trust  him 
with  all  I  have.  Why  didst  thou  not  bring  him  with 
thee?  I  would  be  glad  indeed,  to  shake  his  hand." 

"  That  thou  mayest  do  sooner  than  thou  thinkest,  for  he 
doth  plan  to  come  to  Bristol  to  engage  in  trade  upon  his 
own  accompt,  within  a  twelvemonth  or  thereabout." 

" Sayest  thou  so?  Then  indeed,  have  the  merchants 
of  Bristol  need  to  look  to  their  profits.  Jacot>o  Santo  de 
Murillo  be  one  of  them  that  sees  with  half  an  eye  a 
chance  for  gain  and  does  not  shy  at  any  risk.  He  be  a 
man  of  great  wealth,  too. " 

"  One  would  not  think  it ;  but  for  his  trade  with  thee, 
I  see  not  how  he  maketh  any  profit." 

"That  be  his  own  affair  :  but  thou  dost  ill  to  judge  by 
appearances.  I  tell  thee  truly,  though  I  am  not  accounted 
poor,  if  he  but  stood  in  thy  place  the  nonce,  he  could  buy 
and  sell  Heinrich  Flemming  without  once  putting  his 
hand  in  his  pouch — out  of  the  moneys  he  hath  here  in 
Bristol  alone,  as  my  books  do  avouch." 

"  You  fill  me  with  surprise  ;  but  there  be  strange  things 


438  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

in  Spain.  We  had  some  passengers  whom  I  made  to  pay 
roundly  for  their  accommodation,  or  rather  Jacobo  for 
them.  He  did  not  object,  but  said  thou  wouldst  surely 
give  me  a  rating  when  thou  shouldst  know  what  I  had 
done.  But  in  truth,  good  Master,  I  thought  the  risk  I 
took  justified  a  long  charge." 

"No  doubt,  no  doubt,"  said  Master  Flemming,  anx 
iously.  "Who  are  thy  passengers?  Thou  knowest  I 
did  caution  thee  to  take  no  Jew  aboard  on  any  terms." 

"An'  Jacobo  did  swear  that  not  one  of  these  was  of  the 
People  who  are  proscribed.  Truly,  I  could  not  trace  their 
ancestry  back  to  the  beginning — save  that  of  the  horse  ; 
his  pedigree  reacheth  nearly  there,  as  I  judge.  At  least 
it  goeth  back  to  the  stud  of  the  Prophet.  But  here  be  one 
of  them  who  can  speak  for  himself. '' 

Turning  to  me  he  said  : 

"Thou  wilt  pardon  me,  Senor,  for  failing  to  introduce 
thee  before.  Master  Flemming,  this  be  Senor  Juan  de 
Sevilla,  whom  Jacobo  Santo  commended  to  my  special 
care  until  I  should  deliver  him  to  thy  hands,  when,  he 
said,  there  would  be  no  need  of  further  avouchment." 

"Your  servant,  sir,"  said  Master  Flemming,  extending 
his  hand  with  that  nod  which  is  the  nearest  approach  to 
a  bow  the  English  burgher  makes,  save  in  the  presence 
of  royalty.  "You  be  right  welcome  because  of  him  that 
sent  you,  concerning  whose  affairs  I  trust  I  have  not 
spoken  too  plainly.''  His  tone  showed  his  anxiety. 

"Have  no  fear,  Master  Flemming,"  I  responded  with  a 
low  bow,  the  better  to  keep  up  the  role  which  I  had 
assumed,  as  also  from  habit,  for  now  that  I  met  mine 
own  people  again,  I  wondered  if  I  were  not  more  Spanish 
than  English.  "Have  no  fear  ;  Mcsser  Jacobo  hath  no 
better  friend  than  I,  excepting  not  even  yourself.  That  I 
am  worthy  to  be  trusted  the  possession  of  this  will  testify." 

I  handed  him  the  order  of  Messer  Jacobo,  payable  to 
myself  or  my  father,  for  the  balance  in  his  hands  from 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 


439 


which  was  to  be  deducted  Master  Flemming's  advances 
to  me. 

"  This  I  was  to  deliver  in  duplicate,  the  one  to  thee  and 
the  other  to  Baron  Trude,  to  whom  I  bear  also  a  letter 
from  his  son." 

"Thank  God  !  The  young-  man,  then,  is  still  alive?  " 
said  Master  Flemming,  with  such  show  of  earnest  feeling 
that  my  heart  misgave  me  for  the  deception  I  was  prac 
ticing  ;  but  I  had  determined  not  to  reveal  myself  until 
I  stood  in  my  father's  presence. 

"That  be  not  so  sure,"  I  answered,  pulling  out  the 
letter.  "It  hath  been  writ,  it  seems,  a  long  time,  and 
only  himself  knoweth  what  adventure  he  hath  met  with 
since  that  time." 

"Aye,"  he  said  looking  first  at  the  letter  I  held  toward 
him  and  then  at  the  order  in  his  own  hand,  ' '  it  hath  little 
appearance  of  being  lately  writ.  Though,"  he  added, 
after  a  moment,  "wherever  the  lad  may  be,  fortune  hath 
evidently  gone  with  him,  and  we  may  trust  she  will  re 
main.  He  hath  no  need  to  ask  credit  of  Heinrich  Flem 
ming  now — unless,  indeed,  this  be  a  shrewd  device  of 
Messer  Jacobo. " 

He  eyed  me  keenly  as  he  spoke. 

"But  I  do  forget,"  he  continued;  "wilt  thou  not  rest 
with  me  and  tell  me  how  I  may  serve  thee  ?  To  him 
who  cometh  with  Jacobo's  commendation  I  am  proud  to 
use  the  Spanish  phrase,  'All  that  I  have  is  thine. '"  He 
bowed,  a  little  lower  than  before,  and  waved  his  hand 
toward  the  counting-room. 

"Many  thanks,  good  Master  Flemming.  My  affairs 
demand  that  I  should  presently  set  forth.  But  there  be 
one  on  board  the  ship,  a  young  Spanish  girl  to  whom  I 
am  under  obligation,  whom  it  would  pleasure  me  greatly 
if  thou  wouldst  receive  under  thy  roof  until  she  can  be 
otherwise  provided  for.  She  be  an  honest  wench  who 
hath  suffered  grievously  of  late  and  is  much  cast  down." 


440  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

"She  shall  be  welcome  ;  an'  it  will  go  hard  if  Mistress 
Flemming  do  not  soon  dry  her  eyes  if  mothering-  will 
do't.  An'  my  own  lass  were  at  home  she  would  soon 
hearten  her.  There  be  nothing  like  one  maid  to  cheer 
another." 

"And  is  Mistress  Elsie  not  within?"  asked  the  cap 
tain. 

"Hoots  toots,  man,"  said  Master  Flemming,  with  a 
humorous  assumption  of  severity.  "Thou  likest  to  have 
forgotten  thy  duty  to  the  lass,  who  hath  been  fretting  her 
self  all  but  into  a  decline,  because  the  Alfreda  came  not 
to  port,  while  the  young  dog,  her  captain,  was  disporting 
himself  with  the  Donas  of  Seville." 

"I  do  assure  thee,  Master — 

"Nay,  we  have  enough  of  thy  assurance  already. 
Thou  needest  not  look  so  glum.  The  lass  have  but  gone 
to  a  friend's  without  the  wall  some  little  distance,  that 
the  hawthorne  blooms  might  shame  the  roses  back  into 
her  cheeks.  An'  thou  hast  a  fair  accompt  to  give,  she 
shall  return  ere  thy  next  charter  be  signed." 

He  shook  his  head  in  mock  displeasure  at  the  young 
man,  and  continued  :  "Business  before  pleasure,  Matthew  ; 
thy  passengers  before  thy  sweetheart.  Bring  forth  the 
Senorita  and  commend  her  to  the  Mistress'  care." 

Then,  turning  to  me,  he  added  : 

"The  youngster  hath  been  sweethearting  with  my 
Elsie  for  nigh  a  year.  He  is  a  honest  lad,  though  he  be 
a  sailor,  an'  I  tell  her  though  she  may  not  always  have 
the  softest  bed,  she  will  be  aye  sure  of  a  good  Blan- 
quet !  " 

He  laughed  heartily  at  his  jest,  which  was  evidently  a 
favorite  with  him. 

"  But  what  is  the  pressure  of  thy  affair  that  taketh  thee 
abroad  so  soon  ? "  he  asked. 

"  I  must  to  Edgemont  without  delay.  I  have  messages 
of  import  for  the  baron,  and  also  must  deliver  to  him  the 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA.  441 

barb  which  was  his  son's  war-horse.      Thou  hearest  how 
even  a  moment's  delay  irks  him  ?  " 

The  Son  of  Achmet  was  neighing  for  his  master  and 
making  the  fire  fly  from  the  rough  paving  with  impatient 
hoof-strokes. 

"And  that  was  young  Master  Arthur's  war-horse? 
With  your  leave  I  will  have  a  look  at  him  for  his  master's 
sake,"  said  the  merchant,  leading  the  way  along  the  dark 
passage  to  the  street. 

It  was  a  picture  of  faithfulness  and  fury  that  greeted 
our  eyes  as  we  reached  the  studded  door  which  swung 
open  on  the  street.  Unused  to  restraint  the  fiery  stallion, 
with  flaming  eyes  and  distended  nostrils,  within  which 
the  red  membranes  showed  like  coals  of  fire,  was  trying 
to  shake  off  the  faithful  Irishman,  who  clung  to  the  bit  as 
if  life  and  death  depended  on  his  grip. 

"  Unhand  him  !  "  I  shouted,  as  the  horse  reared  aloft, 
swinging  his  persecutor  clear  of  the  ground. 

"Sure  there'd  be  nothin'  left  av  him  but  a  black  streak 
if  I  did,"  said  the  plucky  fellow  as  his  feet  struck  the 
earth  once  more. 

"And  there  will  be  not  even  a  streak  left  of  thee,  if 
thou  dost  not.  Unhand  him,  I  say  !  " 

"As  the  Senor  likes,"  said  Bill,  doggedly,  releasing  his 
hold  and  shrinking  back  to  the  other  side  of  the  narrow 
street,  now  thickly  lined  with  lookers-on. 

The  Son  of  Achmet  reared  again  to  his  full  height,  paw 
ing  the  air  fiercely  and  neighing  angrily,  in  resentment  of 
the  indignity  which  had  been  offered  him.  As  his  feet 
again  touched  the  ground,  his  tense  limbs  quivered  and 
he  was  about  to  dash  madly  off,  when  I  gave  a  soft  low 
whistle.  I  think  he  had  scarcely  recognized  his  old 
master  in  the  few  times  I  had  seen  him  on  shipboard. 
While  the  horse's  sense  of  smell  is  no  doubt  very  keen 
and  is  chiefly  relied  on  by  him  for  avouching  impres 
sions  which  he  hath,  I  think  it  is  by  the  ear  that  his 


442  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

memory  is  most  readily  awakened.  No  sooner  did  he 
hear  the  familiar  call  than  his  limbs  lost  the  rigid  strain 
of  expectancy  :  he  threw  up  his  head,  his  ears  quivering 
and  his  eyes  taking  in  every  figure  within  his  range,  in 
search  of  the  one  who  had  uttered  the  call.  Had  I  been 
clad  in  basinet  and  mail,  I  doubt  not  he  would  have  pros 
trated  himself  at  my  feet.  I  repeated  the  call  and  held  out 
my  hand.  Eyeing  me  keenly,  he  approached  and  snuffed 
suspiciously  at  the  open  palm.  In  an  instant  his  de 
meanor  was  changed.  With  a  glad  neigh  he  bent  his 
head  to  my  caress  and  then  stepped  forward  to  present 
the  stirrup  to  my  foot.  I  patted  him,  whispered  in  his 
ear  and  throwing  the  rein  over  the  saddle-bow,  said  to  Bill  : 

"Bring  him  now  a  stoup  of  water  and  a  brown  loaf 
and  he  will  forget  that  thou  hast  angered  him.  Such  a 
horse  may  be  guided  by  a  thread  but  would  die  before  he 
would  suffer  compulsion." 

"The  young  Master  Arthur  knew  a  good  horse,  but  it 
needeth  something  more  than  desire  to  compass  such  a 
steed  as  that.  What  think  you  might  be  his  worth  ?  " 
asked  Master  Flemming  curiously. 

' '  I  did  hear  the  noblest  cavalier  in  Spain  say  but  the 
other  day  that  his  equal  was  not  in  all  Castile.  He  was 
a  gift,  as  I  have  heard,  from  a  grandee  whose  life  was 
saved  by  the  sword  of  your  young  countryman." 

"I  seem  to  have  heard  somewhat  of  that  before.  He 
is  surely  a  wondrous  beast,  though  for  my  part,  commend 
me  to  a  Flemish  cob,  when  a  burgher  of  substance  hath 
need  of  a  horse,  especially  if  he  have  to  carry  a  lusty 
lass  on  the  croup.  Which  minds  me  that,  if  it  please 
thee,  I  will  have  my  own  nag  saddled,  and  bear  thee  com 
pany  to  Edgemont.  I  would  like  to  see  the  old  Knight 
when  he  first  gets  sight  of  that  piece  of  Moorish  silk  and 
ebony.  I  will  wager  something  that,  old  as  he  is,  he  will 
insist  on  being  lifted  into  the  saddle  ere  another  put  a  leg 
over  hjm," 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 


443 


"The  Son  of  Achmet  will  bear  him  as  gently  as  a 
mother  carries  her  babe. " 

"Sayest  thou  so?  I  can  well  believe  it  ;  but,  in  faith, 
I  wish  it  were  the  young  lord  himself  rather  than  his  horse, 
that  was  going  to  Edgemont, "  he  added,  regretfully. 

"I  shall  be  most  pleased  to  have  your  company,"  I 
said. 

"  Ho,  there  !  "  he  cried  to  one  of  his  'prentices.  "Sad 
dle  me  Old  Tom,  against  the  Senor  shall  taste  a  bottle  of 
wine  or  a  pot  of  ale,  as  he  pleases,  and  a  bite  of  bread 
and  cheese  with  me.  I  trow  the  Mistress  hath  it  ready. 
Mind  thou  put  on  the  pillion,  an'  find  a  beast  for  the  man, 
too.  Come,"  he  said,  turning  back  into  the  house  and 
through  the  counting-room  into  the  great  hall  where  I  had 
dined  and  supped  so  oft.  The  Captain  stood  by  the  long 
oaken  table,  swallowing  a  mug  of  ale. 

"Aye,  lad,  I  see  thou  hast  the  true  art  of  the  sailor," 
said  the  burgher,  heartily,  "eat  when  thou  hast  a  chance, 
an'  sleep  when  off  watch.  Wilt  thou  not  tarry  and  have 
another  cup  with  us  ?  " 

"  My  duty,  sir,"  emptying  the  flagon  as  he  spoke,  "  but 
I  am  under  bonds  to  show  the  Scnor  the  way  to  Edge 
mont,  straightway  on  our  arrival,  and  I  *go  to  seek  a 
mount  so  as  to  make  no  delay." 

' '  Bid  them  saddle  Young  Tom  for  thee.  He  is  over- 
lively  for  one  of  my  years  ;  if  he  breaks  thy  neck  it  will, 
perchance,  save  thee  from  being  drowned  anon." 

"The  Mistress  desireth  thou  wouldst  make  excuse  for 
her,"  said  the  maid  courtesy  ing  to  her  master  as  the  Cap 
tain  went  out.  "She  be  with  the  young  lass  who  is  sore 
bested  at  the  thought  of  being  left  alone  with  strangers." 

"  Poor  girl — if  I  might  take  her  to  Edgemont,"  I  said, 
thoughtfully. 

"  She  is  most  welcome  to  a  place  upon  the  pillion," 
answered  my  host. 

"Couldst  thou  not  lend  my  man  the  pillion?"  I  asked. 


444  OUT  OF  TIfE  SUNSET  SEA. 

"  He  speaketh  Spanish  after  a  fashion,  and  if  I  mistake 
not,  she  would  sooner  ride  with  him  than  another,  if  he 
spake  not  at  all. " 

"  Say'st  thou  so?  Then  he  shall  have  it,  and,  indeed, 
that  serves  my  purpose  well,  as  I  care  not  that  this  rascal 
Captain  should  suspect  my  daughter  be  at  Edgemont.  It 
will  be  a  rare  treat  to  witness  his  surprise. " 

"You  seem  to  make  much  of  him  that  is  to  be  your 
son-in-law,"  I  said. 

"  An'  why  should  not  I  ?  A  braver  lad  or  a  truer  sails 
not  out  of  Bristol  port.  An'  the  young  Master — I  mean 
young  Lord  Arthur — were  here  to  dance  at  the  spousals, 
I  would  have  naught  more  to  ask." 

"From  somewhat  that  Jacobo  Santo  said  I  had  guessed 
that  Mistress  Elsie  and  Master  Arthur " 

"Jacobo  is  a  fool  !  "  exclaimed  the  merchant,  angrily. 
Then  he  drained  his  mug  of  home-brewed  and  munched 
great  lumps  of  barley  bread  in  silence,  until  suddenly  he 
broke  out  in  laughter. 

"Nay,  Senor  de  Sevilla,"  he  said,  finally,  "it  is  I  that 
be  the  fool.  Why  should  I  care  if  it  be  known  that  my 
Elsie  and  the  young  master  were  fond  of  each  other  once  ? 
He  was  a  good  lad  and  they  were  as  brother  and  sister, 
as  I  pray  God  they  may  be  again.  But  things  were  dif 
ferent  then.  The  lad  was  untried  and  knew  not  his  own 
heart.  That  he  gave  it  to  another  was  no  shame  to  him, 
though  I  misdoubt  if  he  would  ever  have  asked  release  of 
his  plight.  But  my  Elsie  was  not  one  to  wear  a  weed. 
I  doubt  if  she  had  really  any  serious  expectation,  and 
when  she  knew  herself  no  longer  bound  to  one  in  another 
station,  though  she  be  good  enow  for  any,  I  think  it  was 
a  great  relief,  and  she  had  no  heartier  wish  than  that  he 
might  be  happy  with  his  Moorish  cousin,'  as  was  most 
right  and  proper  as  it  appeared  to  all,  though  Heaven  it 
seems  did  not  will  it  so  to  be." 

The  reader  may  judge  of  my  surprise  at  the  revelation 


OUT  OS  THE  SUBSET  SEA. 


445 


these  words  conveyed.  So  the  love  for  my  sweet  cousin 
and  her  terrible  fate  were  no  secret  even  here  in  Bristol ! 
I  could  scarce  choke  down  the  food  or  hold  back  my 
tears,  and  should  unwittingly  have  betrayed  myself,  had 
not  the  door  at  this  instant  burst  open  and  in  rushed  the 
Signor  Caboto,  exclaiming  : 

"  What  be  this  I  hear,  Master  Flemming,  that  thou  hast 
word  of  our  old  friend,  the  Master  Arthur  Lake  that  was, 
and  a  stranger  come  from  Spain  with  news  that  Cristofero 
Colon  hath  return 
ed  from  a  voyage 
to  I  nd  by  the 
Western  Sea.  An' 
not  a  word  of  such 
great  n  e  w  s  to 
thy  friends  ?  Is 
there  room  in  thy 


pot  only  for  thine 
own  nose  ? " 

"Faith,  my 
good  Capitano,  I 
know  naught  of 
the  news  you 
mention  ;  but  this 
is  Senor  Juan  dc 
Sevilla,  as  doth  ap 
pear  from  the  manifest  of  the  Alfreda,  on  which  he  arrived 
from  Spain  almost  within  the  hour,  and  I  have  seen  in  his 
possession  a  letter  to  the  Baron  which  hath  unquestionably 
the  young  Lord's  superscription.  He  hath  also  in  charge 
a  war-horse  which  the  Queen's  Confessor,  that  Francisco 
Ximenes  of  whom  we  have  heard,  doth  send  to  the  Lord 
Baron,  because  it  did  once  belong  to  his  son.  A  thing 
which,  to  my  mind,  looketh  not  so  well.  As  for  the  rest, 
he  can  doubtless  give  account  himself.  If  you  will  per 
mit  me,  Senor  de  Sevilla,  this  is  the  Captain  Johan  Ca- 


446  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

boto,  a  navigator  whose  name  is  known  in  many  seas,  but 
nowhere  more  honorably  than  in  Bristol,  where  he  hath 
long  dwelt. " 

"And  is  it  true,  Sefior,  that  Colon  hath  returned  from 
I  ml  by  the  western  passage  ?  "  exclaimed  Caboto  excitedly, 
as  we  shook  hands. 

"He  hath,  indeed,  returned  from  his  westward  voy 
age,"  I  made  answer,  "in  which  he  discovered  many 
new  lands  and  peoples  before  unknown,  whereof  he  hath 
brought  certain  back  to  Spain  with  him  as  a  testimony.' 

"And  hast  thou  seen  him?  Hadst  thou  speech  with 
any  of  them  that  went  with  him  ?  How  far  sailed  they, 
and  on  what  course  ?  What  didst  thou  learn  ?  " 

I  smiled  at  the  simple-minded  navigator's  eagerness, 
which  made  him  even  forget  to  acknowledge  the  refresh 
ment  the  merchant  urged  upon  him. 

"Assuredly,  Signer  Caboto,"  I  replied,  "I  learned 
more  than  I  could  tell,  or  you  could  ask  in  a  long  time  ; 
since  I  not  only  saw  the  Admiral  after  his  return  and  hail 
speech  with  many  who  sailed  with  him,  but  am  in  truth 
one  of  them  myself." 

"What  !  thou  hast  been  to  Ind  !  "  both  men  exclaimed 
at  once. 

I  took  off  the  velvet  cap  Jacobo  had  provided  and  bowed 
low  before  them. 

"  What  I  say,  gentlemen,  I  be  well  able  to  avouch," 
I  said  as  I  stood  uncovered  before  them.  I  drew  forth 
the  certament  of  Alonzo  Pinzon,  and  gave  it  to  Caboto. 

"And  this  Pinzon  ?  "  he  asked  after  he  had  read  it. 

"  He  was  one  of  the  Admiral's  Captains." 

"  The  Admiral  ?  " 

"That  is  Colon — Cristofero  Colon." 

"And  he  is  Admiral  now?" 

' '  Of  all  the  Western  Seas. " 

"  Certes,  it  be  well  deserved!  And  you  sailed  with 
him  ?  " 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA.  447 

I  bowed  again. 

"  I  thank  God,  that  I  do  live  to  see  this  day  and  take 
the  hand  of  one  who  hath  seen  such  wonders,"  exclaimed 
the  hearty  navigator  as  he  wrung  my  hand  again 

"But  why,"  said  the  merchant,  "told  you  none  of 
these  things  to  me  before?  " 

"Faith,  Master  Flemming, "  I  answered  with  a  laugh, 
"I  did  speak  of  those  things  thou  didst  ask  about.  Is  it 
not  so  ? " 

"  Indeed,  thou  speakest  truly  ;  but  I  be  only  a  dunder 
head  merchant  and  not  a  nimble-wit  like  the  Signer 
Caboto.  Your  health,  Senor  de  Sevilla  !  " 

He  raised  the  mug  to  his  lips,  while  Caboto  ex 
claimed  : 

"Aye  !  thou  hast  overreached  me  and  disproved  thine 
own  words.  It  was  I  should  have  proposed  that  ;  but  I 
drink  it  not  less  heartily.  And  thou,  Senor,  thou  dost 
not  keep  silence  longer  for  lack  of  questioning  !  " 

"  I  go  without  delay  to  the  home  of  the  Lord  Baron  at 
Edgemont,"  I  answered  with  a  smile.  "Is  it  not  so, 
Master  Flemming  ? " 

"  Indeed,  the  horses  do  await,"  he  replied  with  evident 
reluctance. 

"  Then,"  said  Caboto  with  a  low  bow,  "  I  shall  crave 
permission  with  a  few  good  friends  to  go  along  with  thee, 
that  we  may  hear  more  of  these  wonders,  on  the  way." 

"I  shall  be  most  happy  of  such  escort,"  I  replied,  "if 
Master  Flemming  can  abide  the  delay." 

"A  half  hour  more  or  less  maketh  no  moment,"  said  the 
merchant,  "  and  even  a  night  at  Edgemont  would  be  no 
sore  vexation.  What  sayest  thou,  Capitano  ?" 

"  If  only  the  young  lord  were  there,"  responded  the 
navigator,  sadly. 

"True,  true;  the  Senor  will  have  to  take  his  place. 
But  make  haste,  Capitano,  and  waste  not  the  moments  in 
staring  when  thou  art  so  greedy  to  hear.  Remember  there 


44^  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSE T  SEA . 

be  lovers  of  our  party  as  well  as  graybeards  like  our 
selves  ;  besides,  I  misdoubt  if  the  Senor's  health  would 
permit  exposure  to  the  evening  chill.  Here  be  my  Mis 
tress,"  he  continued,  as  Caboto  departed,  "  come  to  make 
her  duty  to  one  who  hath  seen  such  wonders.  This  be 
Senor  de  Sevilla,  Mistress  Flemming,  who  hath  but  now 
arrived  from  Ind  and  bringeth  news  from  Master  Arthur 
as  well  as  letters  from  Jacobo  Santo. " 

"Thou  art  welcome,"  said  the  mistress,  quietly  drop 
ping  me  a  courtesy  which  was  a  condescension.  "I 
grieve  to  learn  thy  health  is  not  good  and  trust  that  it 
will  soon  be  bettered." 

"The  air  of  Britain  is  said  to  have  a  potent  enmity  for 
tropic  fever." 

"  God  grant  it  bring  thee  strength,  Senor." 

"Well,  well,  we  must  to  horse  if  we  expect  to  get  clear 
of  the  crowd  in  the  street,"  said  the  merchant,  returning 
from  the  front  door  in  great  excitement.  "Buss  me, 
mistress,  and  bid  the  Senor  adieu.  I  shall  bring  back  the 
lass  in  gallant  company,  if  not  the  night,  then  early  the 
morrow. " 

It  was  indeed  a  "  gallant  company  "  that  rode  through 
the  crowd  gathered  on  Old  Market  Street  and  cantered 
out  on  the  Stapleton  road,  which  was  the  most  direct  to 
Edgemont. 

Ah,  what  a  ride  it  was  through  the  June  lanes  in  pleas 
ant  converse  with  such  friends  !  "If  but  Xarifa  were  by 
my  side  !  "  my  heart  cried  out  at  every  step,  and  I  could 
scarce  keep  back  my  tears  with  all  the  gayety  I  assumed. 
While  I  spake  of  the  wonders  of  the  new  lands  my  heart 
was  bursting  with  the  love  and  woe  of  the  old. 


As  we  drew  near  to  Edgemont  my  strength  began  to 
fail.  Its  towers  and  arches  grew  dim  and  confused  when 
I  tried  to  trace  their  outlines.  I  think  I  must  have  swayed 
in  the  saddle,  though  the  Son  of  Achmet  seemed  to  have 
known  my  infirmity  and  made  the  way  almost  as  easy 
as  if  I  swung  in  one  of  the  New  World  hamacs,  rather 
than  rode  in  the  saddle  mounted  with  shining  silver, 
which  the  Duke  of  Medina-Sidonia  had  given  to  his  res 
cuer  ;  for  I  have  a  dim  remembrance  of  the  fair-faced 
Captain  on  one  side  and  the  gray-bearded  navigator  on 
the  other  giving  me  support,  while  Bill,  who  had  been 
cautioned  on  no  account  to  betray  my  identity,  rode  now. 
before  and  now  behind  me  in  the  narrow,  hawthorn-bor 
dered  lane,  his  face  full  of  woe  and  quite  unmindful  of  the 
wondering  girl  upon  the  pillion,  who  clung  to  him  half- 
affrighted  by  the  strange  surroundings.  I  do  not  know 
when  we  passed  the  gates,  but  it  was  evident  that  our 
cortege  had  been  observed  as  it  wound  down  the  hillside, 
for  the  courtyard  seemed  filled  with  domestics  and 
retainers.  How  their  faces  blurred  and  intermingled  as 
they  gazed  at  our  strange  array  !  I  knew  that  Master 
Flemming  spurred  forward  on  his  lumbering  roan  and 
spoke  to  a  gray-bearded  man  who  stood  leaning  on  a  staff 
at  the  top  of  the  steps  that  led  to  the  main  entrance. 
How  well  I  remembered  every  check  and  graining  of 

29  449 


456  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

them  !  I  knew  this  was  my  father,  and  like  a  silly  child 
waked  out  of  a  dreaming  slumber,  thought  one  of  the  ladies 
by  his  side  was  my  mother. 

The  fancy  soothed  me.  I  thought  I  would  soon  be  at 
rest  in  her  arms.  There  were  shouts  and  exclamations, 
and  I  heard  Master  Flemming  speak  of  "  Ind "  and 
"Arthur"  without  thought  that  either  referred  to  me  or 
my  experience.  Then  a  voice  still  resonant  and  com 
manding,  exclaimed  : 

"One  that  bringeth  news  of  my  son?  Let  him  ap 
proach — quickly  !  " 

There  was  a  strange  eagerness  and  yearning  about  the 
voice  that  filled  me  with  a  dull  surprise.  I  knew  the  Son 
of  Achmet  was  brought  near  the  upping-stone  which, 
because  of  my  father's  lameness,  stood  near  the  door,  in 
order  that  I  might  be  the  easier  lifted  down  from  the  sad 
dle.  My  cap  fell  off  and  I  leaned  weakly  toward  the 
Captain's  arms,  which  I  knew  were  outspread  to  receive 
me,  when  there  came  a  cry  that  sent  the  blood  back  to  my 
heart  and  stung  my  nerves  into  renewed  life.  I  sat 
upright  in  the  saddle  and  gazed  wonderingly  around. 
Whence  came  that  voice?  Did  the  dead  speak  to  me  in 
reproachful  tones  ?  There  was  a  rush  of  woman's  gar 
ments,  a  light  footstep  on  the  upping-stone,  and  then 
came  again  that  cry,  sorrowful  yet  full  of  gladness  : 

"Tallerte!  Tallerte  ! " 

Soft  arms  were  about  my  neck ;  soft  lips  showered 
kisses  on  mine.  There  were  sobs  and  murmurs,  and 
finally,  it  seemed,  a  shout  burst  forth  from  them  that  stood 
about  : 

"  Lord  Arthur  !     Long  live  Lord  Arthur  !  " 

Whereat  I  laughed,  for  I  knew  then  that  my  mind  had 
given  way  again,  and  that  what  I  thought  I  heard  and  saw 
was  only  a  dream— a  phantasy  !  Yet  it  would  not  vanish, 
and  when  they  had  pulled  me  from  the  saddle,  borne  me 
into  the  house  and  given  me  wine  to  drink,  I  still  saw 


OUT  OF  TtlE  SUNSET  S'EA,  451 

the  same  face  lined  with  dripping  tears  ;  felt  the  same 
soft  hand  in  mine;  heard  the  same  wondering  clamor; 
while  all  around  were  anxious  faces — some  that  I  knew 
and  many  that  I  knew  not.  The  hand  answered  to  the 
pressure  of  mine  own  ;  the  tender  orbs  rained  tears ;  the 
bosom  shook  with  sobs  ;  the  lips  murmured  ceaselessly 
in  the  musical  Castilian  : 

"Tallerte!  Tallerte  !  Know  you  notXarifa?  Your 
Xarifa  !  " 

To  which  appeal  I  answered  at  length,  dazed,  wonder 
ing,  and  unbelieving  : 

' '  Xarifa  ?  " 

Then  again  a  shout  arose  and  slowly  the  truth  dawned 
upon  me  ;  I  was  alive  and  what  I  saw  was  no  phantasm. 

Yet  even  when  I  knew  that  what  I  saw  was  real  and  not 
fantastical,  I  was  as  one  living  in  a  world  of  miracles. 
How  came  it  that  Xarifa  was  alive  and  in  my  father's 
house  ?  Why  was  I  hailed  ' '  Lord  Arthur  ?  "  Why  was 
my  father  so  overwhelmed  by  my  return  ? 

"Art  thou  risen  from  the  dead?"  I  asked,  opening  my 
arms  to  Xarifa  who  cast  herself  sobbing  upon  my  breast. 
All  around  were  smiles  and  tears,  only  Bill  Ayers  and 
Maria  looking  on  dry-eyed  and  wondering. 

"  Didst  thou  truly  think  me  dead  ?  " 

"Did  not  Jacobo  tell  me  thou  hadst  been  condemned 
to  the  sanbenito  ?  " 

"  Ah,  Jacobo  ?  In  good  faith  I  might  have  been,  for  any 
aid  from  him  !  But  I  will  not  blame  him.  He  was 
in  mortal  terror  of  his  own  life,  as  one  hath  need  to  be, 
in  that  land  where  the  shadow  of  the  Holy  Office  resteth 
over  all. " 

Then,  with  many  interruptions,  of  questions  and  ex 
clamations,  with  my  arm  around  her  and  surrounded 
by  the  wondering  friends,  Xarifa  told  her  story — old  to 
them  but  new  to  me. 

"I  was,  indeed,  seized  by  the    Familiars  and   thrown 


452  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

into  prison.  They  thought  me  a  Jewess,  and  mocked  at 
my  claim  to  be  the  daughter  of  Zenete.  I  was  afraid  to 
mention  thy  name  lest  it  should  enhance  thy  danger.  It 
seems  there  had  been  something  irregular  about  the  sale 
of  the  house  of  the  Rabbi  Ibrahen,  or  its  lease — by 
which  they  thought  there  was  an  attempt  to  cover  up  the 
Jew's  possession.  I  think  it  was  the  servant  gave  informa 
tion — or  it  may  have  been  that  companion  whom  we  so 
greatly  trusted.  They  had  seen  my  jewels  and  me- 
thinks  they  stole  the  bodice  in  which  they  were  hidden. 
At  least  they  disappeared,  and  the  officials  denied  all 
knowledge  of  them.  The  parchment  and  the  key  which 
hung  about  my  neck  awakened  suspicion,  too.  I  did  not 
wish  to  tell  the  truth  about  them,  and  they  counted 
the  figures  thou  didst  draw  upon  it  to  be  some  religious 
symbol.  So  they  accused  me  of  being  a  Jewess  and  of 
necromancy  and  heresy  as  well. 

"  I  was  afraid  to  answer  questions,  but  appealed  always 
to  the  Queen,  demanded  speech  of  my  godmother,  the 
Dona  Juana  de  la  Torre,  who  was  the  Aya  of  the  royal  in 
fant,  and  the  Monk  Francisco  XimencsofSan  Juan  de  los 
Reyes,  my  confessor.  These  demands  I  repeated  whenever 
any  questions  was  asked  me,  because — well,  because  I 
knew  of  naught  else  to  do.  It  would  have  been  of  little 
avail  but  for  the  Dona  Guadita  dc  Ulana,  however.  She 
coming  to  find  me  as  she  had  promised  thee,  learned  my 
sore  straits  and  gave  no  rest  to  her  little  feet — may  all  the 
saints  bless  her  for  her  goodness  ! — till  she  had  the  Dona 
Juana  de  la  Torre,  the  Father  Francisco,  the  Chevalier  de 
Cordova,  and  I  know  not  who  else,  tugging  at  the  Queen's 
skirts  for  an  order  for  my  release.  The  which,  God  and 
His  Son  be  blessed,  they  did  get  without  delay,  and  the 
Dona  Guadita  herself  came  with  no  less  an  officer  than  the 
Captain  of  one  of  the  Companies  of  the  Legion,  Alonzo 
de  Ojeda,  and  showed  an  order  to  the  Council  of  the  Holy 
Office,  the  Inquisitor-General  and  all  his  subordinates, 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 


453 


commanding  them  without  delay  or  question  to  hand  me 
over  to  the  civil  authorities,  and  in  case  of  refusal  or 
evasion  the  officer  was  directed  to  take  me  by  force 
wherever  found.  With  them  came  also  the  Father  Fran 
cisco  Ximenes,  but  lately  appointed  Confessor  to  the 
Queen,  who,  when  they  did  deny  that  I  was  confined 
within  the  prison  of  the  Inquisition,  vowed  he  would 
search  every  cell  with  his  own  eyes  if  they  brought  me 
not  forth. 

"Thereupon,  I  was  brought,  sore  distraught  with  fright, 
but  the  good  God  be  praised,  not  having  been  put  to  tor 
ture  ;  which  I  deem  was  more  from  my  continued  appeal 
to  the  Queen  than  from  any  mercy  on  their  part.  But  the 
Father  Francisco,  the  Holy  Mother  bless  him,  would  not 
let  me  go  forth  in  the  garb  they  had  put  on  me,  but  caused 
them  to  bring  my  own  garments  and  all  the  money  and 
jewels  I  had  when  seized,  and  required  them  to  give  pos 
session  also  of  the  house  and  make  order  for  all  my  be 
longings  to  be  restored.  When  these  things  had  been 
done  they  hurried  me  away,  but  instead  of  bringing  me 
again  to  our  house  as  I  had  expected  them  to  do,  they 
took  me  on  board  a  ship  lying  in  the  river,  whereon  Sir 
Thomas  Darcy  was  embarked,  and  when  the  Dona  Gua- 
dita  and  the  Chevalier  de  Cordova  had  spoken  with  him, 
and  I  had  told  also  my  own  story,  he  swore  roundly  at 
the  Inquisitor-General  and  at  their  Majesties  themselves, 
like  a  gallant  gentleman  as  he  is,  for  having  so  mistreated 
a  brave  soldier  and  his  troth-plight.  He  vowed  it  was  of 
a  piece  with  the  King's  ingratitude  that  sent  his  own  fol 
lowing  back  without  reward  enough  for  their  toils  to  buy 
bread  to  keep  off  the  sea-qualms  on  their  way  home. 
He  told  the  Sieur  Cordova  to  his  face,  thou  wast  the  son 
of  a  peer  of  England  high  in  the  counsels  of  King  Henry, 
who  if  he  did  not  take  a  Spanish  head  for  every  hair  of 
thine  that  fell  through  action  of  their  cursed  spies  and 
priestly  blood-hounds,  was  not  fit  to  sit  upon  the  throne 


454  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

he  held  ;  whereof  he  would  himself  advertise  him  so  soon 
as  wind  and  tide  might  take  him  into  London  Town. 
Whereon  the  Sieur  de  Cordova  spake  him  fair  and  begged 
that  he  would  make  no  harsh  report  of  their  Majesties, 
who  were  in  special  anxious  to  be  on  good  terms  with 
their  cousin  of  England.  He  promised  to  find  out  all  that 
was  known  of  thee  as  did  also  the  Father  Confessor. 

"The  next  day,  in  good  sooth,  there  were  brought  on 
board  great  stores  of  food  and  money  and  largess  for  the 
men,  and  a  suit  of  armor  and  a  horse  with  gallant  trap 
pings  for  Sir  Thomas  Darcy  and  other  marks  of  favor  for  the 
knights  who  had  served  with  him.  The  Dona  Guadita  came 
also  with  rich  presents  for  me  from  her  Majesty,  and  the 
Sieur  Cordova,  shamefacedly  and  with  much  constraint, 
said  naught  could  be  found  of  thee  ;  but  it  was  surmised 
from  a  letter  the  Queen's  Confessor  had  received,  thatthou 
hadst  sailed  with  that  Colon  who  sought  a  passage  to  Ind. 
The  Dona  Guadita  whispered  me  that  it  was  not  well  to 
trust  all  he  said,  for  while  De  Cordova  was  not  one  to 
speak  what  was  untrue,  he  never  stammered  at  telling  less 
than  the  whole  truth.  Then  she  gave  me  your  letter  and 
said  that  when  thou  didst  return  she  would  send  thee 
straight  home  to  Bristol — if  she  were  not  able  to  keep  thee 
herself,  that  is." 

And  this  Xarifa  said  with  such  archness  that  all  the 
company  did  laugh  and  I  could  not  refrain  from  kissing 
her  again  before  them  all. 

"It  would  fare  ill  with  Spain,"  I  said,  touching  my 
bare  poll,  "an'  she  lost  a  head  for  every  hair  that  I  have 
shed  with  sorrowing  for  thee  alone,  Carita. " 

"  But  why  asked  thou  not  the  Dona  Guadita  of  me,  or 
the  good  Confessor  Francisco  Ximenes  ?  '' 

"Aye,  indeed,  him  I  did  see,  and  have  a  letter  from 
him  for  my  Lord/' 

I  drew  forth  the  letter  and  examined  the  superscription, 
which  I  had  not  before  noted. 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 


455 


"Nay,"  I  said,  "now  I  do  perceive  it  be  directed  to  me 
in  the  first  instance.  I  trust  your  Lordship  will  permit 
me,  therefore,  to  break  the  seal." 

My  father  bowed  assent,  and  opening  the  letter  I 
read  : 

"My son  :  Grace,  mercy,  and  blessing  be  with  thee  ! 

"Think  not  I  did  not  know  thee.  He  that  liveth  long 
in  a  cloister  and  spendeth  much  time  in  prayer  learneth 
to  see  things  that  be  hidden  from  others.  I  knew  thou 
wert  the  Son  of  Achmet's  master  instantly  when  I  saw 
thine  eyes  fixed  upon  him  and  heard  the  words  stick  in 
thy  throat  as  I  did  question  thee.  I  thank  God  thou  hast 
come  to  relieve  me  of  a  great  cross  and  a  sore  tempta 
tion. 

"  I  trust  I  am  not  doing  wrong  to  favor  thy  deception. 
I  know  not  why  the  King  be  so  hot  against  thee  nor  why 
thou  art  pursued  by  those  whose  zeal  sometimes  outruns 
discretion  ;  but  I  believe  thou  art  a  good  and  worthy 
soldier  and  a  true  believer.  So  I  have  done  what  I  might 
to  favor  thy  design,  trusting  to  thine  honor  to  be  faithful 
to  my  weakness,  should  aught  occur  whereby  I  shall  be 
blamed.  It  doth  not  seem  my  duty  to  know  thee  other 
than  as  thou  art  avouched,  and  I  have  no  mind  to  pry 
into  what  is  hid. 

"Wishing  thee  a  fair  voyage,  and  praying  to  be  re 
membered  to  the  daughter  of  Zenete  who  awaits  thy 
coming,  with  greeting  to  his  Lordship,  thy  father,  whose 
praise  is  in  the  mouths  of  all,  I  pray  to  be  remembered 
alway  as  the  humble  servant  of  Christ  Jesus. 

"  FRANCISCO." 

"  It  seems  Lord  Arthur  had  the  antidote  for  his  woe 
with  him  this  many  a  day,  but  would  not  take  it  until 
now  ?  "  said  Signer  Caboto,  jauntily. 

"That  be  true,  in  part, "  I  answered,  greatly  disturbed 


456  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

by  what  I  had  heard,  "  but  who  can  tell  me  why  I  was 
so  pursued  and  persecuted  by  a  King  I  had  well  served, 
as  is  confest,  and  why  am  I  given  a  title  that  is  forbidden 
me  ?  " 

For  even  my  joy  was  not  sufficient  to  drown  the  mem 
ory  of  wrong  which  the  years  had  quickened  with  a  grow 
ing  sense  of  injustice. 

"I  fear,  my  son,"  said  my  father,  with  great  show  of 
grief,  "that  I  am  the  unwitting  cause  of  all  thy  suf 
fering.  " 

I  take  shame  to  myself  that  I  did  not  at  once  express 
my  confidence  that  he  could  not  have  done  so  other  than 
unwittingly.  But  the  remembrance  of  his  harshness  had 
steeled  my  heart  against  him,  and  though  I  saw  Xarifa 
place  her  hand  in  his  and  look  up  into  his  face  with  a 
daughter's  love  shining  in  her  eyes,  I  could  not  bring  my 
self  to  utter  any  courteous  profession.  I  had  not  even 
craved  his  blessing  and  knew  not  that  I  ever  should.  If 
I  had  not  won  the  honors  I  had  hoped  to  secure,  I  had 
no  less  pride  than  he  ;  had  approved  myself  a  soldier  who 
needed  no  man's  indorsement,  and  believed  that  I  held 
the  key  of  fortune  in  my  hand.  So  I  waited  for  him  to 
resume,  hardly  looking  up  from  the  settle  on  which  they 
had  placed  me. 

"  I  have  first  to  confess,  my  son,"  he  went  on,  after  a 
moment,  "that  I  did  treat  thee  harshly  and  unjustly.  I 
thought  I  was  wise,  but  God  has  shown  all  the  world  my 
folly." 

Thereon  all  my  harshness  melted,  and  stretching  forth 
my  hand,  I  said  : 

"I  pray  thee,  my  lord,  let  it  be  clean  forgot." 

"I  thank  God,"  he  said,  clasping  my  hand,  "  thou 
livest  to  forgive  ;  forget  thou  canst  not.  Know,  then, 
that  when  I  sent  thee  into  Spain,  I  did  rely  upon  the 
harsher  enginery  of  the  Church  there  prevalent,  to  recon 
cile  thee  to  a  religious  life.  Hardly  hadst  thou  sailed, 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA.  457 

however,  when  that  false  Warwick,  the  bastard  hind, 
Lambert  Sinn  el,  came  into  Lancashire  with  a  sturdy 
following  of  York  renegades,  against  whom  was  sent  that 
flower  of  chivalry,  thy  brother  Edward,  whom  all  did  love. 
Moving  with  such  dispatch  as  he  had  learned  was  more 
important  in  such  an  affair  than  numbers,  he  fell  unex 
pectedly  on  the  pretender,  at  Stoke  in  Staffordshire,  put 
his  following  to  rout  and  took  him  prisoner,  but  was  him 
self  so  sorely  wounded  that  he  died  a  short  month  there 
after.  In  the  meanwhile,  Clarence,  thy  elder  brother, 
going,  as  in  duty  bound,  to  succor  him  in  his  besetment, 
was  himself  smitten  with  the  pokkes,  which  the  rascal 
Yorkists  had  brought  with  them  out  of  France,  so  that  he, 
too,  met  his  death,  and  that  most  horribly.  But  this 
happened  not  before  the  King,  graciously  mindful  of  the 
service  of  our  family,  had  granted  a  title  to  the  eldest  son, 
though  he  had  not  yet  come  into  the  baronage.  Sothou, 
whom  I  had  cut  off  from  the  succession,  became  within 
the  year  my  eldest  and  only  son  ;  and  to  thee  comes  now 
the  title,  since  both  thy  brothers  died  without  issue." 

I  had  put  my  hands  over  my  eyes,  but  heard  many 
sobs  in  the  circle  of  listeners.  My  father's  pride  in  his 
two  elder  sons  was  known  to  all,  and,  though  I  had 
suffered  because  of  it,  I  both  loved  and  honored  as  well 
as  envied  them. 

"Thus  was  I  shown  how  I  had  sinned,"  continued 
my  father  after  a  moment's  silence  ;  "  and  this  I  will  say, 
if  I  was  harsh  before  I  was  truly  desirous  to  make  quick 
amend,  and  did  implore  the  King  to  cause  his  ambassador 
at  the  Court  of  their  Catholic  Majesties  to  make  inquiry 
for  thee,  and  impart  to  thee  my  earnest  wish  for  thy 
return.  Also  I  did  myself  lay  the  matter  before  Ferdinand 
of  Aragon,  with  whom  I  made  acquaintance  what  time  I 
visited  his  father's  court  upon  the  service  of  my  royal 
mistress,  then  in  sore  distress,  and  did  ask  him  to  in 
form  thee  of  my  desire,  and  speed  thy  departure  from  the 


458  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

Moorish  war  in  such  manner  as  he  might  deem  best.  In 
very  truth,  lad,  I  did  fear  my  harshness  had  turned  thy 
heart  and  that  thou  mightst  refuse  to  come  without  the 
strong  compulsion  of  the  royal  will.  Moved  by  my  im 
portunity,  no  doubt,  His  Majesty  caused  search  and  proc 
lamation  to  be  made  after  the  Spanish  fashion.  How 
these  failed,  thou  knowest.  I  had  better  have  gone  to 
our  friend  Flemming,  who  had  no  doubt  been  able  some 
how  to  contrive  a  message  to  thee  ;  but  one  who  hath 
been  a  courtier  all  his  life,  rarely  thinks  of  the  straight 
way  to  an  end.  He  would  go  a  league  through  a  court 
rather  than  a  furlong  through  a  warehousing  ;  while  a 
merchant  would  make  the  same  mistake  contrariwise. 
Is  it  not  so,  Master  Flemming  ?  " 

"I  misdoubt  it  may  be,"  said  the  merchant,  gravely, 
"but  now  that  all  hath  ended  well,  it  doth  seem  to  me,  with 
due  respect  to  your  Lordship,  we  ought  rather  to  give 
thanks  for  what  is  than  blame  the  means  by  which  it  came." 

To  this  there  was  no  response,  and  I  knew  that  all  were 
waiting  for  me  to  speak.  Wherefore,  I  presently  sat  up 
on  the  edge  of  the  settle,  being  now  greatly  revived, 
and  said  : 

"Your  Lordship  needeth  not  be  told  that  I  blame  thee 
not  for  aught  that  hath  been,  or  that  I  would  rather  far  have 
missed  this  fortune  and  favor  than  have  come  by  them  by 
the  death  of  the  brothers  whom  I  loved.  All  the  more,  I 
may  say  this,  because  as  Master  Flemming's  accompt  doth 
attest,  I  come  not  back  empty-handed.  Nevertheless,  I 
will  say  that  I  owe  their  Spanish  Majesties  small  thanks. 
Proclamation  and  reward  be  an  ill  way  to  herald  favor, 
and  the  sanbenito  no  fit  robe  for  a  faithful  soldier's  bride. 
Wherefore,  it  shall  go  hard,  if,  having  once  sailed  to  the 
Ind  against  my  will,  I  go  not  again  on  my  own  ac 
compt.  " 

At  this  there  went  up  from  the  little  company  in  the 
great  hall,  something  like  a  cheer,  and  Sanctus  Caboto, 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 


459 


who  had  just  arrived,  having  followed  us  post-haste  from 
Bristol  and  guessed  what  he  had  not  heard,  pushing 
through  them  that  stood  before  him,  thrust  out  his  hand 
and  exclaimed  : 

"Faith,  my  Lord  Arthur,  I  beg  to  shake  your  hand  for 
that  as  well  as  for  old  times.  My  father  says  I  be  but  a 
poor  sailor,  but  whenever  thou  hast  need  of  a  ship  for  such 
a  venture,  our  house  stands  ready  to  furnish  as  tidy  a  craft 
as  ever  sailed  down  Severn  and  the  junior  partner  will  go 
as  one  of  her  company. " 

"  And  I,"  said  Captain  Blanquet,  "  I  must  sail  with  thee 
also,  even  if  I  have  to  go  down  from  the  quarter-deck  to 
the  forecastle." 

"Nay,  nay,"  I  said,  "we  will  be  a  free  company, 
wherein  all  shall  serve  and  none  command,  save  by  the 
choice  of  his  fellows. " 

"And  share  the  profits  like  a  hake-fisher's  hotchet,"  in 
terposed  SignorCaboto  ;  "that  be  the  true  way  of  advent 
uring  by  sea." 

"Afore  ye  get  yer  company  all  bespoke,"  exclaimed 
Bill  Ayers,  coming  forward,  "  let  me  remind  ye  that  an 
auld  messmate  '11  be  ready  to  bring  his  kit  aboord  whin- 
ever  ye  sphake  the  word  !  " 

"Never  fear  I  shall  forget,"  I  said,  and  thereupon  I  in 
troduced  him  to  my  father  and  the  company,  telling  them 
how  we  had  stood  by  each  other,  the  only  Englishmen 
in  all  the  crews,  and  how  we  had  escaped  being  left  in 
Espanola  as  the  Admiral  did  desire  we  should. 

"  I,  also,  did  once  have  a  stout  comrade  named  Ayers, 
who  did  hail  from  Galway,  and  met  his  death  at  Bos- 
worth,"  said  my  father  as  he  shook  the  faithful  fellow's 
hand.  "  But  that  he  died,  I  do  misdoubt  if  Henry  had 
been  king  the  nonce.  The  blow  he  gat  was  meant  for 
Richmond's  crest,  and  sped  by  an  arm  that  seldom  missed 
its  aim,  that  Richard  who  fell  upon  my  point  the  instant 
after. " 


460  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

"By  the  same  token,"  answered  Bill,  carelessly,  "the 
like  happened  to  me  fay ther  on  that  same  day. " 

"An'  thou  wert  the  son  of  Makewell  Ayers,  thou  hast 
a  king  for  thy  debtor. " 

"  Which  is  the  very  reason  I  am  so  little  like  to  get  my 
due,"  was  the  stout  response. 

"Thou  shouldst  have  inherited  the  estate  of  which  thy 
father  was  dispossessed." 

"And  I  have  not  a  shieling  to  cover  the  head  of  one 
that  loves  me. " 

"Never  mind,  "my  father  responded,  heartily,  "  I  pledge 
the  King's  name  that  when  thy  father's  son  findcth  a 
bride,  she  shall  not  lack  dower  or  settlement." 

"I  stand  upon  thy  word,  my  Lord,  and  with  my  hand 
give  heart  and  troth,"  said  the  Galway  lad,  extending  his 
hand  to  Maria  de  Logrosa,  who  clasped  it  with  a  trust 
ing  smile. 

"You  will  not  go  away,  now?"  she  asked  entreatingly, 
looking  up  into  his  flushed  face. 

"  Be  sure  he  will  not  go  far,  Senorita,"  said  Signer  Cabo- 
to,  gayly.  "There  be  aye  short  voyages  when  Dan  Cupid 
mans  the  helm.  Here  be  one  deserter  already,  and  by  the 
blush  on  Mistress  Elsie's  cheek  I  trow  the  Captain  Blan- 
quet  will  drift  on  the  same  rock.  It  augureth  ill  for  thy 
venture,  Sir  Arthur." 

"Nay,"  I  said,  falling  into  his  mood,  "that  cannot  be, 
for  Mistress  Elsie  hath  my  troth-plight  on  her  lips  and  can 
not  hold  the  Captain  till  she  give  it  back. " 

"If  it  please  you,  my  Lord  Arthur,"  responded  Mistress 
Elsie,  with  a  glance  at  Xarifa,  "I  did  put  thy  pledge  in 
pawn  long  since  where  thou  hadst  already  given  thy 
heart ;  yet,  if  thou  dost  insist  on  taking  it  thyself,  I  will  not 
grudge  thce  a  kiss  for  old  times. " 

Therewith,  she  made  a  pretty  courtesy.  I  stretched  out 
my  hand  and  taking  hers  would  have  risen  to  salute  her, 
but  she  prevented,  saying. 


OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA.  461 

"Nay,  my  Lord,  it  is  not  fitting-  that  thou  shouldst rise 
to  pay  devoir  to  one  who  hath  kept  her  plight  no  better 
than  thou,  and  is  aye  glad  to  give  it  back,  as  she  was 
honored  to  receive  it." 

Thereupon  she  stooped  and  kissed  Xarifa  and  then 
offered  her  lips  to  me  ;  the  which  when  I  had  saluted,  I 
did  place  her  hand  in  Captain  Blanquet's  and  taking 
Xarifa's  in  mine,  said  : 

"  lie  that  hath  taken  a  wife  goeth  not  out  to  fight  for 
a  year  and  a  day.  With  your  leave,  my  Lord,  I  do  in 
vite  this  company  to  a  triple  wedding  at  such  time  as  my 
lady  shall  name,  and,  until  that  time  be  expired,  we  will 
give  no  more  heed  to  voyagings  to  new  lands.  What 
sayest  thou  to  that,  Xarifa  ?  " 

"Thou  knovvest,"  she  answered,  "it  is  not  the  custom 
with  my  people  for  the  woman  to  name  the  day  of  espousal. 
But,  indeed,  it  seemeth  to  me  as  if  we  were  wed  already 
— belike  it  be  because  I  have  faced  death  for  thy  sake — and 
that  thou  hast  come  back  to  me  as  a  husband  to  his  wife 
for  nursing,  after  many  labors.  So  I  would,  if  it  please 
you,  my  lord,  that  the  church  might  bless  our  vows  with 
out  delay,  and  both  pleasuring  and  adventure  be  left  until 
such  time  as  thou  shalt  be  stronger, — which,  if  God  will 
to  bless  my  ministration,  shall  not  be  long." 

"  By  God's  faith,  thou  speakest  wisely,"  said  my  father, 
with  great  tenderness.  "Know  thou,  my  son,  that  so 
great  is  my  love  for  her  who  hath  been  to  me  a  daughter 
in  my  loneliness,  that  I  did  petition  his  Majesty  that  in 
case  thou  shouldst  not  return,  she  and  her  heirs  should 
inherit  our  title  and  estate.  Which  prayer  was  granted, 
and  she  whom  thou  knewest  as  the  daughter  of  Zcnete,  is 
now,  by  right,  the  Lady  Xarifa  Lake.  An'  thou  wouldst 
pleasure  thy  father,  a  priest  that  bides  by  chance  within 
the  walls,  shall  in  the  hour  bless  thy  nuptials  and  thou 
wilt  give  over  all  thought  of  foreign  parts  while  thy  father 
doth  abide  on  the  earth. " 


462  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET  SEA. 

It  was  not  as  I  would  have  had  it.  I  longed  for 
carousal  and  good  cheer — the  triumph  of  one  who 
returneth  victorious  whence  he  had  set  out  in  dishonor. 
But  I  was  too  weak  to  insist,  even  if  one  could  have  brought 
himself  to  demur  to  such  persuasion.  So  we  were  wed  in 
presence  of  a  silent  company  in  the  old  hall,  I  leaning  on 
Xarifa's  arm  rather  than  she  on  mine,  and  the  wedding 
feast  was  deferred  until  Michaelmas-tide,  when  there  were 
three  brides  sat  down  at  the  table  as  I  had  wished,  and 
though  there  was  much  rejoicing,  the  bridegrooms  could 
not  forego  discoursing  upon  the  new  lands  to  which  word 
had  come  that  the  Admiral  had  again  set  sail  with  a  gal 
lant  fleet,  despite  the  fact  that  the  king  had  shown  his 
favor  by  changing  my  uniform  and  making  me  one  of 
the  Captains  of  the  Royal  fleet,  thereby  binding  me  to 
other  service  than  the  search  of  adventure  in  a  New 
World.  Nevertheless  this  discourse  was  not  in  vain,  in 
that  it  ripened,  after  due  time,  into  notable  result. 


THE    END. 


UCLA-Young  Research  Library 

PS3087   .094 

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